LUTH Denies Late Doctor Worked 72-hour Call Duty

The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, management has refuted reports that one of its house officers, Dr. Michael Umoh, died following a 72-hour call.

In a letter dated September 19, and written to LUTH’s main medical director, the Association of Resident Doctors accused their senior colleagues of bullying, giving them difficult call hours without breaks, and failing to provide meals and adequate lodging. They said that while mourning their late colleague, Doctor Umoh, he died in church following a 72-hour shift in the hospital’s Neurosurgery section.

‘’We the house officers are in deep grief over the loss of our colleague, a co-house officer (Dr Umoh Michael) who died on 17th September, 2023, after having a 72hrs call in the Neurosurgery Unit. He is said to have been on call 72 hours before arriving home on Sunday morning to get set for church service, reaching his worship centre (United Evangelical Church) where he slumped in the church at about 11 a.m.

“His roommate attested to the fact that Umoh Michael has barely slept in their apartment over the past one week as he was always on call or the day he returns home is around 3 am after surgeries and other activities in the Neurosurgery Unit,” the letter in part read.

In a statement issued on Thursday, September 21, the hospital, however, disputed the accusation.

“LUTH management understands the fact that the family of Dr. Umoh is presently mourning the death of their beloved son and requested the foreclosure of any media engagement regarding the death of their son. It is important for us as a management to make clarifications regarding the circumstances surrounding his death.

“Dr. Umoh died on September 17 while in church with his parents. The management was informed, and the death was later confirmed by one of the Consultants in his unit (Neurosurgery).

“The death of Dr Umoh is unfortunate but the narrative of a 72 hours non-stop shift is false.

“The record from the Neurosurgery unit shows that the last time he was on call was the 13th and 14th of September, 2023. He was not on call on the 15th, 16th and 17th (the day he died), contrary to the insinuations on social media. He was at home with his parents on Sept. 16 and Sept. 17,” the management said.

Before this, he was on call duty on September 7 and 8, according to management.

”This shows that Dr. Umoh was on call for a total number of four days in September 2023. A delegation from LUTH visited the family on Wednesday to commiserate with the family and to get more details of the circumstances surrounding his death. The parents gave the details of what they thought must have contributed to his death but pleaded that the wish of the family is respected and that the narrative is not for public consumption,” the statement read.

Dr. Umoh was rated by management as a hardworking, conscientious house officer and a very promising young man.

It was said that he would be sadly missed by his friends and coworkers.

“May his soul rest in peace, and may the Almighty give the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss” LUTH said.