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An insight into medical malpractice and litigation
Abstract
Most, if not all physicians are ill prepared when it comes to facing a medical litigation. The current climate of medical litigation in many countries of the world has sparked extensive discussions regarding its influence on patient care. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and most patients still keep quiet about issues regarding malpractice and suits are rare. Medical malpractice otherwise known as a breach of professional obligation and negligence of duty by medical practitioners has been identified as the major cause of emerging medical litigation in Nigeria. Medical personnel must be aware in their practice that patients are becoming more aware of their rights. The public becomes unforgiving when there is perceived harm to patients as a result of medical negligence. Medical professionals all have to be litigious conscious and therefore have a basic knowledge on avoidance of malpractice and litigations.
Keywords: Medical ethics, medical negligence, professional obligation and litigation conciousness
