Dubai: The Saudi medical community has mourned the loss of Dr. Aziza Fatani, a dedicated neonatal intensive care doctor who died in a car accident after completing a 24-hour shift at a hospital in Jeddah.
The incident, which occurred last Sunday, has sparked widespread calls for reform in hospital work schedules.
Dr. Fatani, who was involved in a fatal accident while returning home from her shift, is believed to have been overtaken by fatigue, which impacted her ability to drive safely.
Her death has not only brought sorrow to her family, friends, and colleagues but also highlighted the intense pressures faced by medical professionals in Saudi Arabia.
The response on social media has been profound, with many Saudi bloggers expressing condolences and aligning with medical workers’ demands for a change to the long shift system that is currently in place.
The calls for change are supported by fellow medical professionals, including Mohamed Johari, a neurosurgeon resident, who expressed, “May God have mercy on my dear Fatani. It shouldn’t take the death of a colleague to discuss the dangers of the shift system that doctors suffer from, and the pressure colleagues put on each other with their dedication and excessive working hours.”
