Dr. Oluwafemi Rotifa, a young resident doctor who died after an alleged 72-hour shift, was laid to rest in Port Harcourt.
His death has reignited calls for urgent reforms in doctors’ working conditions.
The remains of Dr. Oluwafemi Rotifa, a 28-year-old resident doctor at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), were committed to earth at the Port Harcourt cemetery on Friday, September 5, 2025.
Rotifa tragically collapsed and died last week after reportedly enduring a 72-hour shift without rest. His passing has sparked deep sorrow and anger within Nigeria’s medical community, raising renewed concerns over the extreme working conditions faced by health professionals.
Before his residency, Rotifa served as president of the Port Harcourt University Medical Students’ Association (PUMSA), where colleagues remember him as a dedicated leader and passionate advocate for improved healthcare.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has since announced that a post-mortem examination will be carried out to establish the precise cause of his death. The association also joined other medical bodies in demanding urgent reforms to prevent similar tragedies, stressing that doctors should not be subjected to exhausting work hours that endanger both their health and patients’ safety.
Rotifa’s funeral drew tributes from colleagues, friends, and family, who described him as a bright young doctor whose life was cut short in service to others.
