Resident Doctor Dies Following Alleged 72-Hour Shift at RSUTH

The Nigerian medical community is in mourning following the sudden death of Dr. Femi Stephen Rotifa, a surgery resident at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), who reportedly collapsed and died in a hospital call room after an grueling work shift.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage across social media and the healthcare sector, as reports emerge that Dr. Rotifa—popularly known as "Dr. Femi Femoski"—was allegedly forced to work a 72-hour straight shift despite expressing concerns about his health.

Sources within the hospital allege that Dr. Rotifa had informed a senior consultant that his scheduled shift was over and that he was feeling unwell and needed rest. However, due to severe understaffing, the superior reportedly insisted he remain on duty.

Dr. Rotifa was later found unconscious in the call room. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful; he was rushed toward the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) but was tragically pronounced dead before he could be revived. Preliminary medical assessments suggest the cause of death was linked to extreme exhaustion compounded by malaria.

The death of Dr. Rotifa, a former President of the Port Harcourt University Medical Students’ Association (PUMSA), has reignited the heated debate over the "Japa" syndrome and the deteriorating conditions of the Nigerian healthcare system.