Tragedy has struck the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) as Dr. Oluwafemi Rotifa, a young resident doctor, reportedly collapsed and died after enduring a grueling 72-hour call duty in the hospital’s emergency room. The incident occurred after Dr. Rotifa retreated to the call room to rest, where he was later found unconscious. Despite efforts to resuscitate him in the intensive care unit, he was pronounced dead.
Dr. Rotifa, fondly known as “Femoski” by colleagues, was a former President of the Port Harcourt University Medical Students’ Association and had recently completed registration with the UK’s General Medical Council, awaiting placement abroad.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has condemned the incident, calling it a preventable tragedy and a stark reflection of the worsening conditions in Nigeria’s healthcare system. NARD President Dr. Tope Osundara stated that the overuse of manpower and lack of adequate staffing led to the young doctor’s death, describing it as “a death on duty”.
Medical professionals across the country have expressed outrage and grief, highlighting the chronic burnout, poor remuneration, and dangerous work schedules that plague the sector. Many are calling for urgent reforms, including better welfare packages, enforcement of humane work hours, and immediate replacement of emigrated or resigned doctors to prevent further loss of life.
