RIP Dr Idemudia Joseph Osagie: UBTH thrown into mourning as popular consultant dies of blood cancer.
The Department of Chemical Pathology and the entire university of Benin teaching hospital (UBTH), have been thrown into mourning as a senior consultant of the hospital, Dr Idemudia Joseph Osagie, lost his life to the cold hands of death after a very short battle with blood cancer.
According to reliable information made available to the Nigerian Health Blog, Dr idemudia lost his life to AML(Acute Myeloid Leukaemia), a form cancer of the blood at about 4.30pm on Sunday the 26th of January, 2020 at the age of 53.
Dr idemudia, up till his death, was the Head of Department of Chemical Pathology and was loved by many especially the medical students and resident doctors he taught. He was soft spoken, emotionally intelligent, diligent, humble and a mentor to many.
His death came as a rude shock to the medical community as he was within two weeks diagnosed of blood cancer and admitted at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital Oncology Unit before he was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) where he finally breath his last inspite the battle by the medical team to save his dear life
He joins the long list of doctors in the hospital to lose their lives while in active service and peak of their carrers. Recall that in July 2018, the teaching hospital had also lost a bright and hardworking senior registrar in General Surgery, Dr Egigba, who died while he was on call (after performing 4 surgeries) at the hospital just a few months to his Part 2 postgraduate exams to become a consultant.
Apart from Dr Egigba, between 2018 -2020, UBTH has lost about 7 resident doctors and two consultants (Dr Ogbeide, who was the HOD of Radiology and now Dr Idemudia). Professor Kubeyinje, a reknowned Dermatologist and former acting Vice Chancellor of Uniben also died during this period.
Born in 1967, Dr Idemudia studied Medicine at the University of Benin before proceeding to UBTH where he became a consultant chemical pathologist. He was a senior lecturer in the University of Benin and head of department of Chemical Pathology.
He is survived by his wife and children.
May his gentle soul rest in peace.
