Tragedy Strikes Nigerian Healthcare as Doctor Dies from Overwork 

The Nigerian medical community is in mourning following the tragic death of Dr. Femi Rotifa, a young resident doctor at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH). Dr. Rotifa reportedly slumped and died after working a continuous 72-hour shift in the hospital's Emergency Room. The incident has reignited a heated debate about the harsh working conditions faced by doctors in Nigeria and the ongoing "brain drain" crisis.

According to the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Tope Osundara, Dr. Rotifa was the only doctor on duty, and the "overuse of manpower strained his health and led to this painful death." Dr. Rotifa had worked nonstop for three days before retreating to a call room to rest, where he collapsed. His colleagues' attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

This tragedy underscores the severe understaffing in Nigerian hospitals. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a ratio of one doctor to every 600 patients, but in Nigeria, the ratio is a staggering one doctor to every 10,000 patients. This critical shortage forces the few remaining doctors to work long, grueling hours, leading to physical and mental exhaustion.

Dr. Rotifa was a former President of the Port Harcourt University Medical Students' Association (PUMSA) and was in the process of relocating to the UK, having already registered with the UK's General Medical Council. His death serves as a painful reminder of the human cost of a failing healthcare system and the reasons why many medical professionals are leaving Nigeria for better working conditions abroad.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has described the incident as "heartbreaking and unacceptable," calling on the government to urgently address staff shortages, improve doctor welfare, and enforce humane work schedules. The death of Dr. Rotifa is not an isolated case, as other Nigerian doctors have also reportedly collapsed and died from overwork in recent years.