Greetings everyone. I don't know if this should be posted under the Law section but I'm sure experienced health practitioners should have answers to my question.

How do doctors or hospital management goes about carrying out mercy killing (euthanasia) when requested by the patient? What are the procedures? And the requirements that should be met first.

I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT MEDICAL PROCEDURE OF EUTHANASIA.BUT OUR LEGAL SYSTEM IS SILENT ABOUT IT.

Gbamar: I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT MEDICAL PROCEDURE OF EUTHANASIA.BUT OUR LEGAL SYSTEM IS SILENT ABOUT IT.

I'm sorry, Gbamar, what do you mean by 'silent'?

By silent he's probably means there's no law on it. How many people question the deaths of their loved ones or request for autopsies? I don't think euthanasia is properly treated in our lecal scope (I could be wrong tho). A medic should be able to answer this properly.

hmmmmmmmm

like someone rightly said, there is no law or statute which explicitly states anything about mercy killilng, in fact there is no bill being currently sponsored on the floor of the national assembly!!!

what we usually do is some form of "passive" euthanasia i.e withdrawing all forms of treatment, and the main reason is usually due to lack of funds.....

but "active" euthanasia?? never head of it being done anywhere

I'm sure doctors in teaching or general hospitas would have had instances where terminal patients requested for a speedy death. I'm also of the opinion that a patient has a right to die with some form of dignity left.

dominique: I'm sure doctors in teaching or general hospitas would have had instances where terminal patients requested for a speedy death. I'm also of the opinion that a patient has a right to die with some form of dignity left.

I agree with you totally. But I'm trying to understand the official decree on this. Imagine a situation where a patient requested to be given mercy killing only for the family of the patient to sue the doctor for murdering the patient.

Lagusta: hmmmmmmmm

like someone rightly said, there is no law or statute which explicitly states anything about mercy killilng, in fact there is no bill being currently sponsored on the floor of the national assembly!!!

what we usually do is some form of "passive" euthanasia i.e withdrawing all forms of treatment, and the main reason is usually due to lack of funds.....

but "active" euthanasia?? never head of it being done anywhere

Quite sad, actually

Briareos:

I agree with you totally. But I'm trying to understand the official decree on this. Imagine a situation where a patient requested to be given mercy killing only for the family of the patient to sue the doctor for murdering the patient.

i understand, thats the reason why its not routinely done in nigeria, cos some people can be funny at times, and nigerians are now aware of the law.....