Medical Negligence Prevalence and Consequences in Low and Medium Countries with Reference to Nigeria: A Scoping Review

In Nigeria's healthcare system, medical carelessness is becoming a bigger problem that can have serious repercussions for both patients and healthcare professionals. The purpose of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the present state of research on medical negligence in Nigeria by methodically assessing its prevalence, trends, and repercussions. The review gathers information from peer-reviewed publications, official health reports, legal papers, and case studies from all throughout Nigeria using a thorough search approach.

.

The study employed a systematic review design to look into the prevalence, causes, and effects of medical negligence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Both published, peer-reviewed studies and grey literature were incorporated to give a complete picture of the issue. Relevant studies, papers, and articles were located using scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and regional journals. Grey literature was also included, including reports from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government health ministries, and international institutions such as the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO). studies published in English during the course of the last ten years.

Numerous instances of negligence are highlighted in the review, including inappropriate treatment, delayed diagnosis, surgical blunders, and a failure to give immediate medical intervention. When the effects of this kind of carelessness are investigated, they are found to have serious negative effects on patient health outcomes, such as mortality, protracted illness, and disability.

The results indicate that these problems persist in the Nigerian healthcare system because medical negligence incidents are not adequately reported and there are no accountability systems in place. The assessment ends by suggesting that in order to lower the incidence of medical negligence, there should be stronger regulatory monitoring, healthcare reforms, and professional accountability.