Umoh Michael: How LUTH doctor slumped, died after 72-hour non-stop shift

A young doctor, identified as Dr. Umoh Michael died on Sunday after allegedly working 72 hours straight.

According to reports, Michael died during a church service at the United Evangelical Church on September 17. He was said to have worked a 72-hour non-stop shift at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, where he was a resident doctor.

Doctors under the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors, LUTH chapter, in a letter addressed to the Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo, attested to the fact that the young doctor was overworked.

They claimed Michael returned home at about 3:00 a.m. Sunday after a 72-hour shift in the hospital, adding that he had barely slept in their apartment before that day.

The statement partly read, “We the house officers are in deep grief over the loss of our colleague, a co-house officer (Dr Umoh Michael) who died on 17th September, 2023, after having a 72hrs call in the Neurosurgery Unit. 

“He is said to have been on call 72hrs before arriving home on Sunday morning to get set for church service, reaching his worship center (United Evangelical Church) where he slumped in the church at about 11 am.”

“His roommate attested to the fact that Umoh Michael had barely slept in their apartment over the past one week as he was always on call or the day he returned home was around 3 a.m. after surgeries and other activities in the Neurosurgery Unit.”

Reacting to the sad incident, LUTH’s Public Relations Officer, Omolola Fakeye, who spoke on an online platform (not PUNCH) Online said, “It is not true that anybody worked for 72 hours. I have not been briefed about his death. 

“We were at a programme yesterday (Monday), but I will find out; I can’t say anything now. I will check the medical report of what could have happened because anybody can say anything, but the medical report will show us what happened.”

Tweeps have since taken to X to share their thoughts on the alleged inhumane treatment meted out to the doctors.

A tweep, drfynrekins, tweeted, “I salute my Hippocratic colleague & wish him farewell on his journey to the great beyond. I hope #nmanigeria would come out strongly and protect these young doctors. These deaths are devastating and unacceptable, and it would further deplete the numbers of those practicing in Nigeria and discourage those still in medical school. Unfortunately, the young doctors are the ones bearing the brunt of the decay in the healthcare system in Nigeria but this trend must be stopped.”

Another X user, Doingood, tweeted, “We all need to be resting. Employers should please help us. May his Soul RIP .”

OgechukwuChime tweeted, “He is taking care of others and forgot to take care of himself.”

Kuwait_magic also tweeted, “He lost his own life in the process of saving other people’s lives. God knows I can’t be this good. I no fit die to make you live.”

Camax3000 wrote, “Overworked, Rest in Peace.”

Mazi_Ibem tweeted, “Lagos State Government should get more doctors from the already saturated labour market to assist. The daily pressure these doctors go through affects their health as well.”

JoelUdanyi also wrote, “This is sad. Result of a health institution being understaffed…if not what else?”

“In a sane environment, it is a crime to work more than 11:30. You are entitled to 1-hour break as well,” Kasalimi2029 tweeted.