The management of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has refuted claims that Dr. Michael Umoh, a house officer at the hospital, died after working for a 72-hour shift.
This statement comes in response to allegations made by some doctors and residents who blamed the hospital management for Umoh’s death.
Umoh’s tragic passing occurred on Sunday during a church service.
The hospital management on Thursday issued a statement to clarified that he did not work for an extended period leading up to his death, debunking the narrative of a 72-hour non-stop shift.
“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 Sept 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 Neurosurgery unit shows that the last time he was on call was 13th and 14th 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 informed.
The statement went further: “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 be respected and that the narrative is not for public consumption,” it stated.
“The exact details of the emergency response after this event are still unclear, but he was said to be taken to Reddington Hospital where his unfortunate demise was confirmed.
“Reports of a background cardiovascular disease that can predispose to sudden cardiac death have not been confirmed either from his family or from his pre-employment medical screening records.
“At this time, what we consider most important is the life of a diligent and amiable young man who has been lost to the cold hands of death. We cannot begin to imagine what toll this is taking on his immediate family and colleagues and can only allow them to mourn peacefully while we strategise on charting a way forward,” the management expressed.