A medical doctor at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Dr. Nelson Udeme, has said that he was assaulted and threatened to be killed by a deceased patient’s relative.
He, however, said he had accepted the grieving relative’s public apology.
Udeme made this known after a public apology published in a national daily (The PUNCH) by one Oludaisi Tajudeen, surfaced online on Sunday.
Tajudeen, in a letter of apology addressed to UCH’s Medical Director, had asked the doctor and management of the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, to forgive him for his outburst.
His letter of apology reads: “I, Mr Oludaisi Olanrewaju Tajudeen, hereby apologise to the Chief Medical Director, the management of the hospital, Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Nelson Udeme of the University College Hospital for my emotional outburst at the doctor on duty at the High dependency unit of UCH following the death of my mother, Mrs Oludaisi Busurat.
“I also withdraw any verbal threat to him and any other healthcare worker. I plead for the understanding and mercy of the UCH.
“I promise this will not repeat itself again.”
Detailing what led to the public apology, Udeme, who tweets on X as @_Pgenius, explained that despite the loss of a loved one, it was important for relatives to understand doctors are humans who also feel pain.
Udeme noted that doctors are not objects to venting systemic frustrations.
He wrote: “A lot of you on X must have seen this apology letter on various social platforms. Truly I was assaulted and threatened to be killed. Thank you to everyone who checked up on me. However, I feel the need to pass on an important message to the general public.
“Doctors have no intention to kill your sick relatives. Many times patients do come in a critical state expecting doctors to do the near impossible. Seeing patients die also has its negative effect on our mental health as health professionals.
“We must learn to control our rage in any difficult situation. Truly we all react to emotional pain differently, however, extreme actions as a response to emotional pain is a recipe for untoward retribution. And for sure, it will only add to the pain.
“Doctors are not objects to vent systemic frustrations upon. We get sick like you too and many times we cannot even afford to get proper treatment within the same health system you so want to vent your anger upon. The doctor is not the health system!
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“I sincerely appreciate the role of @uch_ard, President @oladapoj1 and my seniors in the Neurology unit who ensured justice in this situation.
“I have since made peace with the assailant and I sincerely hope that there will be an end to issues like this.”
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