Blog

A few years ago, it was usual for consultant dcotors to be paraded on the Nigerian Television Authority network news. A gynaecologist for forgetting forceps or a surgeon for sponge in a patient's abdomen or a psychiatrist for forgetting a beer bottle in a patient's mind. Every system failure in government hospital would be blamed on individual doctor.

With the changing face of medical practice in terms of rights, some have argued that the person seen by medical doctors should no longer be called patients on the grounds that it connotes that the relationship is not equal. 

Malpractice: acts below the acceptable standards in the profession

Medical malpractice involves four things (4 Ds): Duty to care, Dereliction of duty, Damages occur, Direct cause of damages. The 4Ds must be proved to be present.