House officers at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) have resolved to down their tools for 48 hours over the death of a young medical professional, Umoh Michael, a medical doctor.
The doctor was said to have died on Sunday after working long hours. In a letter on Tuesday addressed to the hospital’s chief medical director, the doctors said:
“We hereby notify you on the demise of our beloved brother, friend and colleague Dr. Umoh Michael 2 days ago,” the letter reads: “In view of the above, the House Officers have resolved to the following: To embark on a 48-hour down tools to enable us mourn our colleague beginning from tomorrow the 20 September 2023 to 21st September 2023.
“We also call for a review of the duty schedule of House Officers in all the units; to allow time for adequate rest and prevent the demise of another House Officer.”
Dr Michael allegedly died on September 17, after being on a 72-hour-call in the Neurosurgery Unit. He was said to have been on call for the duration before arriving home on Sunday morning for church service, and slumped in his worship centre (United Evangelical Church) at about 11:00a.m.
In a letter written to the Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo by medical doctors under the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LUTH chapter, said the late doctor’s roommate attested to the fact that the deceased had hardly slept in their apartment for the past one week.
The doctors complained bitterly about the way they are treated by the hospital management.
The said “we have long standing challenges since we resumed horsemanship here and one most striking challenges is bullying we receive from our senior colleagues , stressful call hours without breaks in between, no call food and no good accommodation”
The doctors made a demand from the hospital management. They requested for a compulsory health checks at the beginning of House jobs, which should be free or subsidized. Secondary, the demanded that their senior colleagues should create an enabling and friendly working environment for them.
However, the public relations officer of LUTH, Omolola Fakeye, denied that the doctors are working for 72 call hours.
“it is not true that anybody worked for 72 call hours. I have not been briefed about the doctor’s death. We were at program on Monday, but I will find out. I cannot say anything now, I will check the medical report of what could have happened”
SOURCE: The Guardian
IMAGE: Peoples Gazette
