It was a sad moment for the health workers of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), when Dr Merriment(name withheld), one of the intern medical doctor ( House officer) collapsed and fell to his face after doing a 72hour call duty. The young House officer who was known to be hardworking was exhausted due to the intense workload in his unit (neurology unit).

It was reported that there was over 30 patients in neurology unit and he was the only house officer taking care of those patients.

When some of the doctors were interviewed, they
expressed dissatisfaction concerning the lack of house officers in the hospital which has subsequently created heavy workload for them. They poured out their hearts on the ill-treatments meted on them by their seniors as they are not appreciative to them despite lack of doctors and the efforts the show in meeting up the heavy workload. They expressed displeasure how their seniors have turned medical practice into modern day slavery. Even when the house officers are sick, they refuse to grant sick off and still force them to attend to patients otherwise risk being severely punished. The appealed that their national body ( NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS NARD), should hasten and help resolve the delay in paying house officers, plus other residents who have not also been captured under IPPIS.

It was also gathered that house officers in federal hospitals nationwide have not been paid for the past 2 months. However, UPTH has failed to employ doctors and nurses so that the workload on doctors and nurses would reduce.

This is truly sad. This can only happen in a country that values the lives of bandits more than the health workers.

My advice to the house officers, "pls use your head. Know when to cry out that you are tired. Don't work to please anybody. If you die doing this housejob, the hospital work will continue. The highest they can do for you is 10 seconds of a minute silence".

To my gallant HO, Get well soon and prepare to leave this country never to return again

Oga body no be firewood oh..if you kill yourself those your patients go still survive..try and be resting more often..