Are there penalties for professional negligence or mistakes on wrong diagnoses?
Yes, there are severe penalties! The first is that the practitioner concerned may lose his or her licence. And there could be suspension, caution or depending on the degree of offence, ranging from just warning to outright suspension of complicity. If the decision of the Medical and Dental Council does not absolve the medical person concerned from criminal liabilities; by the time the body finishes with the person and withdraws his or her licence, and if the situation borders on murder or manslaughter, there are other Nigerian laws to take care of that. Also, there are also civil liabilities because the patient enters into a contract with the doctor by paying consultation fees; and he or she expects professional services. So, if you fail to give the expected services, that patient can still sue the doctor. If for instance, the patient is given an injection and the needle is forgotten inside the body; that patient has a right to sue for negligence besides the fact that the doctor may ha
