Main Article Content
Discharge against medical advice (Dama) in children’s ward the Awka, South East Nigeria experience.
Abstract
Background: Until recovery, discharge against medical advice (DAMA) is a rare thing that does happen when one is admitted in a Health
facility, but these days it appears to be a common occurrence due to some factors.
Objective: To evaluate the factors responsible for DAMA in children’s ward of Amaku general hospital Awka (AGHA)
Patients and method- The case files of children admitted into the children’s ward of AGHA from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2009 were
reviewed and analysed
Results: Of the 498 patients admitted, 10 were DAMA giving a prevalence of 2%. Their ages ranged between 3 months – 9 years. Most of them
(75%) belonged to lower social class. HIV/AIDS (62.5%) and protein energy malnutrition PEM (25%) were the predominant disease condition
of affected patients. At the time of DAMA, 75% of them were too ill to go home. The major reason for requesting for DAMA was lack of
finance.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that lack of finance was the major reason for DAMA. Appeal for government at all levels to adopt policy of
National Health Insurance scheme to cover all children in Nigeria, will help to discourage the issue of DAMA.
facility, but these days it appears to be a common occurrence due to some factors.
Objective: To evaluate the factors responsible for DAMA in children’s ward of Amaku general hospital Awka (AGHA)
Patients and method- The case files of children admitted into the children’s ward of AGHA from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2009 were
reviewed and analysed
Results: Of the 498 patients admitted, 10 were DAMA giving a prevalence of 2%. Their ages ranged between 3 months – 9 years. Most of them
(75%) belonged to lower social class. HIV/AIDS (62.5%) and protein energy malnutrition PEM (25%) were the predominant disease condition
of affected patients. At the time of DAMA, 75% of them were too ill to go home. The major reason for requesting for DAMA was lack of
finance.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that lack of finance was the major reason for DAMA. Appeal for government at all levels to adopt policy of
National Health Insurance scheme to cover all children in Nigeria, will help to discourage the issue of DAMA.
