…As UNIABUJA VC Commends Law Lecturers for Contributions to Nation Building
Raheem Akingbolu
The Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Abuja, and Professor of Medical Law, Prof. Uwakwe Abugu, has expressed concern over the declining public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system, attributing it to the persistent failure to hold medical practitioners and healthcare institutions accountable for negligence. He also condemned the practice of demanding police reports from victims of emergencies before they can receive medical attention, describing it as unlawful and inhumane.
Prof. Abugu made these remarks while delivering the 52nd Inaugural Lecture of the University of Abuja titled “Restoring the Dignity of the Patient.” He noted that although Nigerian law expressly prohibits the denial of emergency medical treatment, there remains a significant gap between the country’s legal framework and its implementation.
“Although Nigerian law unequivocally prohibits the denial of emergency medical treatment, a significant gap remains between the legal framework and its practical implementation. Consequently, access to urgent healthcare often remains uncertain and, in many instances, dangerously inadequate,” he said.
