Legal practitioner, Dayo Adu, says doctors require continuous medical-legal education to better understand their professional responsibilities and patients’ rights.
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Adu made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, where he stressed the need for cultural and legal sensitisation within the medical profession.
According to him, there is a noticeable gap in medical-legal training as part of continuous medical education for doctors.
“I also think there is a gap when it comes to medical-legal training, even within continuous medical education. Perhaps collaboration with lawyers or legal bodies would help doctors become much more informed about their duties,” he said.
Speaking on patients’ rights, Adu explained that patients must be properly enlightened about the standard of care they are entitled to receive.
“For patients, it is all about understanding their rights and knowing that the standard of care they deserve is their right and must be strictly adhered to,” he added.
He further emphasised the importance of public awareness, noting that patients need to be adequately informed to demand accountability.
The lawyer also urged the medical profession to engage in self-reflection, acknowledging existing systemic challenges.
“I really think the medical profession itself needs to look inward. We know that funding is inadequate, staffing in hospitals is not what it should be, and we are all aware of the ‘japa’ syndrome,” he said.
However, Adu noted that in a few cases, some Nigerian specialists abroad are beginning to return to the country to establish specialised medical practices aimed at meeting patients’ needs.
Despite this development, he stressed that much more needs to be done, particularly in ensuring hospitals meet the standards set by regulatory agencies.
His comments come in the wake of the death of a 21-month-old child, reportedly the son of popular Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who died on January 7 at Euracare Hospital. The death was alleged to have resulted from negligence by the attending anaesthesiologist.
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The author has since served the hospital with a legal notice, alleging that medical negligence and professional impropriety led to her son’s death.
