The difficult working circumstances experienced by medical professionals have come to light as a result of a tragic occurrence at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where a doctor died allegedly after executing a taxing 72-hour surgery without a break at the neurosurgery unit.
This upsetting information was delivered by the Association of Resident Doctors in a letter dated September 19 that was addressed to the chief medical director of LUTH.
The resident doctors expressed their concerns about a number of issues in a letter headed “An Appeal By The House Officers Of LUTH,” including bullying by senior colleagues, overly long and demanding call hours without breaks, and the lack of sufficient provisions for meals and proper housing.
In the letter, it was disclosed that Dr. Umoh Michael, a co-house officer, had tragically died on September 17, 2023. According to reports, Dr. Michael was on a 72-hour call in the neurosurgery unit.
He left this exhausting chore behind and came home early on Sunday to get ready for church. Tragically, around 11 a.m., he passed away in his place of worship, the United Evangelical Church.
Dr Michael had been spending the previous week scarcely sleeping in their flat, frequently getting home about three in the morning after operations and other demanding tasks in the Neurosurgery Unit.
The resident doctors described a number of persistent difficulties they have encountered ever since beginning their equestrian training at the hospital.
They emphasised the importance of addressing the problems of senior coworker bullying, long call shifts without breaks, the lack of food, and poor accommodations.
The doctors made many requests in response to these difficulties. They requested that house officers who had been on call the day before take the following day off for a half-day or report to work at noon.
They also stressed that house police shouldn’t have to put through 48 straight hours of nonstop work.
The mandatory house check that must be completed at the start of a house job was also sought by the doctors to be made free or heavily discounted for house officers.
The letter closed with an appeal to senior colleagues to foster an environment that is more accommodating for the junior doctors, stating that house officers shouldn’t be given tasks that are better suited for porters, nurses, or family members of patients.
This terrible occurrence has highlighted the difficult working circumstances and difficulties experienced by healthcare personnel, underlining the significance of resolving these problems to protect their safety and well-being.
Source: OccupyGh.com
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