Nigeria is not just ripe for this. For this to come into play in Nigeria, many things should be taken into consideration. Viz. 1. Our universities where there our doctors are being trained. 2. Indepth knowledge and dedication of our doctor teachers. 3. Politics is the bane of Nigeria. If this comes into effect, politicians will hijack just as we saw in the Stella Obasanjo case. 4. Medical doctor and nurses like other labour unions are always on strike during which they render skeletal services, in this who should be held responsible govt or the doctor or hospital? 5. How do we measure if the doctor has done his best? 6. In the face our hospitals being just upgraded primary healtcare centres, should the hospital or healtcare centre be sued when it does not have the necessary facilities or personnel? Our legal system is always manipulated by the those in authority, sentiments and bias as we saw in election tribunals. The real qualified doctors don't work in Nigeria. The go abroad where they will be appreciated leaving unqualified and quack doctors for us because if you abroad, you see Nigeria doctor working as specialists in those foreign hospital. 7. Our laboratories are in bad shape due to lack proper funding. A lot of more issues should be examined to see why the hospitals should not be sued rather the govt.

I think this is a good development. It might reduce the amount of quackery going on in the medical profession. It will also put medical practitioners on their toes.

but, we should remember that to whom much is given, much is expected and also to whom much is expected, much should be given.

If we want healthcare to be just like it is in America, we should provide our Nigerian doctors with the tools they need. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair to make some demands.

Nigerian doctors work very long shifts, under the hardest work conditions without the right tools and they are not well renumerated.

P.S. despite our failing educational system, Nigerian doctors are well trained and they fit into western medical practice very easily.

is this for new malpractice or will this include malpractice from say 14 months ago?

Even in the UK, which is in my opinion the world's model legal system, it's difficult to prove medical negligence.
Stats from this decade show that only 10% of the medical negligence cases end up with convictions or compensation.

It's too difficult first of all too show that the doctor wasn't acting in the best interests of his patients if he as about 150 other patients to take care of.
It might also mean doctors begin to reduce the number ofpatients they attend to in general hospitals in other to avoid risks . . . believe me, you won't want to be on that waiting list.
In my opinion, only serious cases should get to court. . . and we should spend time weeding out the quacks and not the proffessionals that bow to pressure.
The shortage of doctors in Nigeria is already apparent, why ban the few good ones we have??

This is a multifaceted issue. it is not a new thing, many people are probably not just aware, not an isolated unawareness, but just a speck in the sand of ignorance the bulk of Nigerians dwell in. A patient has always had the right to expect the best possible treatment and options from the doctor, within the surrounding circumstances. Doctors are not gods, they can make mistakes- which may be allowed for as humans, and they can also be irresponsible and negligent, which is not acceptable.
The effect of increased awareness, and possibly increased expectations and possibility of more litigations - with other conditions in this country as it is  -is predictable. As someone rightly said, the cost of healthcare will plummet possibly up to about x20, likely more as doctors will be more cautious and demand objective, reproducible evidence, which will be repeated at all stages of treatment. The number of patients attended to in government hospitals will drastically reduce, as very few, very very few government hospitals have the simple(not sophisticated), equipments, reliable electricity and other support and backup to manage even simple things in the "ideal" manner. Our people are very poor, when they cannot afford simple basic tests and first level medications- then it is understandable that doctors will as much as possible avoid treating such patients, or dangerously delay treating a likely diagnosis until laboratory confirmation(which the patient cannot presently afford) is available.Or the other scenario, where the patients spends all the money to confirm the diagnosis, now cannot afford the treatment. Thus less educated and even some fairly well educated) patients will start to shy away from this expensive"orthodox" medicine, and consult alternative healing methods - juju, herbs, church, alternative medicine e.t.c to their detriment.The standards of practice and awareness of doctors will improve, so this important, but the government should pay the required attention to the health sector, to empowering Nigerians financially.Nigerian Doctors could be better, but they've fitted flawlessly into any health system in the world- so the priority should be increasing the level of education of Nigerians, financial empowerment of the citizens by good jobs and flourishing economy, constant upgrading, maintainance and fair distribution of the health facility, then start using koboko to chastise your doctors.

This is a multifaceted issue. it is not a new thing, many people are probably not just aware, not an isolated unawareness, but just a speck in the sand of ignorance the bulk of Nigerians dwell in. A patient has always had the right to expect the best possible treatment and options from the doctor, within the surrounding circumstances. Doctors are not gods, they can make mistakes- which may be allowed for as humans, and they can also be irresponsible and negligent, which is not acceptable.
The effect of increased awareness, and possibly increased expectations and possibility of more litigations - with other conditions in this country as it is  -is predictable. As someone rightly said, the cost of healthcare will plummet possibly up to about x20, likely more as doctors will be more cautious and demand objective, reproducible evidence, which will be repeated at all stages of treatment. The number of patients attended to in government hospitals will drastically reduce, as very few, very very few government hospitals have the simple(not sophisticated), equipments, reliable electricity and other support and backup to manage even simple things in the "ideal" manner. Our people are very poor, when they cannot afford simple basic tests and first level medications- then it is understandable that doctors will as much as possible avoid treating such patients, or dangerously delay treating a likely diagnosis until laboratory confirmation(which the patient cannot presently afford) is available.Or the other scenario, where the patients spends all the money to confirm the diagnosis, now cannot afford the treatment. Thus less educated and even some fairly well educated) patients will start to shy away from this expensive"orthodox" medicine, and consult alternative healing methods - juju, herbs, church, alternative medicine e.t.c to their detriment.The standards of practice and awareness of doctors will improve, so this important, but the government should pay the required attention to the health sector, to empowering Nigerians financially.Nigerian Doctors could be better, but they've fitted flawlessly into any health system in the world- so the priority should be increasing the level of education of Nigerians, financial empowerment of the citizens by good jobs and flourishing economy, constant upgrading, maintainance and fair distribution of the health facility, then start using koboko to chastise your doctors.

sue them alone can nt solve d problem,
but also tell dem 2 be paying 4 any life lost in d coures of their Negligence
may God help us 4rm all dis hospitals.

no be there fault

More talk, less action.

PARDON my long sermon.I believe that there are many doctors in Nigeria that should be sued. But also I beleive the average Nigerian expects miracles from the doctors in this environment. The Nigerian doctor is first and foremost a NIGERIAN its just because health is involved all his or her failings are magnified times 100.
Having worked mainly in government hospitals I will tell you that some doctors are performing miracles considering what they have to work with. Many patients come to hospital only after they have attempted to treat themselves either at chemists or with Native medicines of which neither they nor the doctor have any idea what they contain or the names or they have prayed and fasted all the while getting worse. Then they come to the doctor expecting a miracle and some will even lie about everything from the duration of illness to previous attempts at treatment.

Next the doctor is expected to miraculously make a diagnosis with his bare hands and with none functional laboratories- ( a very large and busy teaching hospital has only one microbiologist serving a patient load of over 500 patients a day with ancient obsolete equipment and eratic power supply). If he needs an urgent xray it may take anywhere from 3 to 48 hours because there are only 2 or 3 radiology technicians on duty serving about 300 patients a day again he can only work when there is electricity. The patients dont make it any better. I have had patients refuse to do any investigations or even take the drugs prescribed come back months later and complain symptoms are getting worse.


When a patient requires admission there are only 2 nurses on night duty on a ward with 30 patients- Imagine them giving drugs that should be administered every 3-6 hours, taking vital signs , dressing wounds, cleaning up patients that may soil themselves and feeding those that cant feed themselves.Each patient may require 1hrs attention or even more-please do the maths. Remember that these nurses are human beings and not robots.
God forbid if this doctor character needs to operate at night, the average teaching hospital will have one anaesthetist and a maximum of 3 residents on duty and if you are lucky 2 scrub nurses. And if it is a busy night there may be anything from 1 case to 10 casses requiring anaesthesia that night, so the patient joins the queue and waits for his turn. If that night you unfortunately have one case of multiple gunshot injury, that may be the only case that can be done and in three days time the queue can be as long as 20 to 30 emergencies.
Or what if he is the only neurosurgeon or cardiothoracic surgeon or gynaecologist or even general surgeon in the hospital and 3 seriuos cases come in that same night. He can only do what is human and not more.

I am not making excuses for anyone who is negligent but you dont give someone stones and ask him to make bread. The doctor does not work in isolation neither does he work in a perfect place. So when you sue make sure also you have done your part to make the situation in this country better because its all interrelated. The country cannot be a mess and health care or doctors by some miracle will suddenly be perfect.

allycat:

PARDON my long sermon.I believe that there are many doctors in Nigeria that should be sued. But also I beleive the average Nigerian expects miracles from the doctors in this environment. The Nigerian doctor is first and foremost a NIGERIAN its just because health is involved all his or her failings are magnified times 100.
Having worked mainly in government hospitals I will tell you that some doctors are performing miracles considering what they have to work with. Many patients come to hospital only after they have attempted to treat themselves either at chemists or with Native medicines of which neither they nor the doctor have any idea what they contain or the names or they have prayed and fasted all the while getting worse. Then they come to the doctor expecting a miracle and some will even lie about everything from the duration of illness to previous attempts at treatment.

Next the doctor is expected to miraculously make a diagnosis with his bare hands and with none functional laboratories- ( a very large and busy teaching hospital has only one microbiologist serving a patient load of over 500 patients a day with ancient obsolete equipment and eratic power supply). If he needs an urgent xray it may take anywhere from 3 to 48 hours because there are only 2 or 3 radiology technicians on duty serving about 300 patients a day again he can only work when there is electricity. The patients dont make it any better. I have had patients refuse to do any investigations or even take the drugs prescribed come back months later and complain symptoms are getting worse.


When a patient requires admission there are only 2 nurses on night duty on a ward with 30 patients- Imagine them giving drugs that should be administered every 3-6 hours, taking vital signs , dressing wounds, cleaning up patients that may soil themselves and feeding those that cant feed themselves.Each patient may require 1hrs attention or even more-please do the maths. Remember that these nurses are human beings and not robots.
God forbid if this doctor character needs to operate at night, the average teaching hospital will have one anaesthetist and a maximum of 3 residents on duty and if you are lucky 2 scrub nurses. And if it is a busy night there may be anything from 1 case to 10 casses requiring anaesthesia that night, so the patient joins the queue and waits for his turn. If that night you unfortunately have one case of multiple gunshot injury, that may be the only case that can be done and in three days time the queue can be as long as 20 to 30 emergencies.
Or what if he is the only neurosurgeon or cardiothoracic surgeon or gynaecologist or even general surgeon in the hospital and 3 seriuos cases come in that same night. He can only do what is human and not more.

I am not making excuses for anyone who is negligent but you dont give someone stones and ask him to make bread. The doctor does not work in isolation neither does he work in a perfect place. So when you sue make sure also you have done your part to make the situation in this country better because its all interrelated. The country cannot be a mess and health care or doctors by some miracle will suddenly be perfect.

God bless you!

way forward:
1.patients must SUE if they fill they av not being properly treated.
2.Drs n other health workers should attend to a patient only if they have all the tools to diagnose n properly treat the patient,otherwise politely explain the situation to them then send them home-chikena!

allycat:

PARDON my long sermon.I believe that there are many doctors in Nigeria that should be sued. But also I beleive the average Nigerian expects miracles from the doctors in this environment. The Nigerian doctor is first and foremost a NIGERIAN its just because health is involved all his or her failings are magnified times 100.
Having worked mainly in government hospitals I will tell you that some doctors are performing miracles considering what they have to work with. Many patients come to hospital only after they have attempted to treat themselves either at chemists or with Native medicines of which neither they nor the doctor have any idea what they contain or the names or they have prayed and fasted all the while getting worse. Then they come to the doctor expecting a miracle and some will even lie about everything from the duration of illness to previous attempts at treatment.

Next the doctor is expected to miraculously make a diagnosis with his bare hands and with none functional laboratories- ( a very large and busy teaching hospital has only one microbiologist serving a patient load of over 500 patients a day with ancient obsolete equipment and eratic power supply). If he needs an urgent xray it may take anywhere from 3 to 48 hours because there are only 2 or 3 radiology technicians on duty serving about 300 patients a day again he can only work when there is electricity. The patients dont make it any better. I have had patients refuse to do any investigations or even take the drugs prescribed come back months later and complain symptoms are getting worse.


When a patient requires admission there are only 2 nurses on night duty on a ward with 30 patients- Imagine them giving drugs that should be administered every 3-6 hours, taking vital signs , dressing wounds, cleaning up patients that may soil themselves and feeding those that cant feed themselves.Each patient may require 1hrs attention or even more-please do the maths. Remember that these nurses are human beings and not robots.
God forbid if this doctor character needs to operate at night, the average teaching hospital will have one anaesthetist and a maximum of 3 residents on duty and if you are lucky 2 scrub nurses. And if it is a busy night there may be anything from 1 case to 10 casses requiring anaesthesia that night, so the patient joins the queue and waits for his turn. If that night you unfortunately have one case of multiple gunshot injury, that may be the only case that can be done and in three days time the queue can be as long as 20 to 30 emergencies.
Or what if he is the only neurosurgeon or cardiothoracic surgeon or gynaecologist or even general surgeon in the hospital and 3 seriuos cases come in that same night. He can only do what is human and not more.

I am not making excuses for anyone who is negligent but you dont give someone stones and ask him to make bread. The doctor does not work in isolation neither does he work in a perfect place. So when you sue make sure also you have done your part to make the situation in this country better because its all interrelated. The country cannot be a mess and health care or doctors by some miracle will suddenly be perfect.

I think the law has been in place but implementing it is a problem.

I is truly a victory for Nigeria. I could imagine how disturbing it must be for individuals who are treated as though they are objects by individuals I have conclude are merely Prescription Pad Murders in white coats. I am an American , the problem seem to be getting out of control world wide. Although we have the "regulatory bodies to govern medical doctors, but the laws need to be fine tuned; they are too general, not specific. When one makes complaints, often times the complaint goes sour before it leave ones lip and the ear or eye of the intake person. I am please with Nigerian Victory, but feel one should not have to take the matter to court and waste valuable money and time. It should be the regulatory bodies responsible for the medical doctors duties to bring the matter forward and prosecute the script writers. That what the doctors have reduced themselves to in the United States and Bermuda.

wao the issue is things won't improve in our health sector if medicolegal firms does not become as common and effective as the sun we have in Africa.