Former governor of Kwara State and two-term Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has spoken out following the tragic death of a Lagos-based doctor.
Dr. Umoh Michael passed away on Sunday morning after a 72-hour marathon shift at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, and my heart goes out to his family.
Taking to his official X handle [formerly Twitter], Saraki noted that he had been troubled by the concerns highlighted by the health practitioners following a meeting with members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The former lawmaker called for government intervention to address the “long and arduous hours and challenging work conditions that medical doctors face.”
Read his full statement below:
Last month, when I met with members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), I was deeply troubled by the concerns they raised about the long and arduous hours and challenging work conditions that medical doctors face.
I am just reading about the tragic passing of Dr. Umoh Michael, who passed away after a 72-hour marathon shift at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, and my heart goes out to his family.
This issue of overworking our doctors not only poses a risk to their physical and mental health but also jeopardizes the quality of care they can provide to patients. At this time, it is important that governments at all levels treat the working conditions of our healthcare practitioners as a priority. If we need to address the shortage of doctors, let’s do that. If we need to improve their conditions, let’s find a way.
The health of our society depends on the strength of our healthcare system. Dr. Umoh’s death should serve as a wake-up call to all of us. We can no longer treat this with laxity.
