Abstract
This paper critically examines medical negligence in Nigeria’s healthcare system and the resulting
rise in legal actions. It explores how failures in professional medical practice can transform
healthcare from a healing process into one that causes harm and triggers legal liability. The
objectives are to analyze the legal framework on medical negligence, review recent judicial
decisions and disciplinary actions, and propose reforms that balance patient rights with practical
realities of medical practice. Using a doctrinal research method, the study considers key laws such
as the Criminal Code, the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, and the National Health Act,
alongside relevant case law and literature. Findings reveal increasing litigation driven by growing
patient awareness, regulatory gaps, and technological advances that expose errors. Enforcement
remains inconsistent, and outdated precedents overshadow recent rulings. The paper recommends
updating legal provisions, improving judicial and professional education, and drawing on core
texts and comparative approaches to strengthen outcomes
rise in legal actions. It explores how failures in professional medical practice can transform
healthcare from a healing process into one that causes harm and triggers legal liability. The
objectives are to analyze the legal framework on medical negligence, review recent judicial
decisions and disciplinary actions, and propose reforms that balance patient rights with practical
realities of medical practice. Using a doctrinal research method, the study considers key laws such
as the Criminal Code, the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, and the National Health Act,
alongside relevant case law and literature. Findings reveal increasing litigation driven by growing
patient awareness, regulatory gaps, and technological advances that expose errors. Enforcement
remains inconsistent, and outdated precedents overshadow recent rulings. The paper recommends
updating legal provisions, improving judicial and professional education, and drawing on core
texts and comparative approaches to strengthen outcomes
Keywords:
Medical Negligence
Duty of Care
Litigation
Harm.
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