Doctor slumps, dies after 72-hour shift in Rivers hospital

A young resident doctor at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Oluwafemi Rotifa, has been confirmed dead after his sudden collapse in the hospital.

The doctor was said to have collapsed after “a 72-hour shift”.

It was gathered that Rotifa slumped after going to the call room to rest on Monday, September 1, 2025.

Rotifa, who was said to have been on continuous call duty for three days, passed away despite efforts to resuscitate him in the intensive care unit.

His demise was confirmed by the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Tope Osundara, on Wednesday, September 3.

Osundara, who condemned the workload of doctors in Nigerian hospitals, said: “The burnout and workload among medical doctors is becoming very worrisome.

“We have cried out and complained repeatedly.

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“What happened is that the resident doctor was on call in the emergency room. Unfortunately, the workload was strenuous, and they had to regularly go over 24-hour shifts. He had reviewed a patient, and afterwards, he went to the call room to rest.

“They came to call him, and it was there that they saw him sprawled on the floor. He must have fallen from the bed.”

Osundara further disclosed that the doctor had malaria “but still had to go and treat a patient.”

“The overuse of manpower strained his health and led to this painful death. His death was due to overworking,” the NARD President told TheCable.

He, therefore, urged the government to address staff shortage, improve welfare packages, and enforce humane work schedules for doctors.

The Star