11 Oct 2015

Medical professionals have been advised to safeguard their licenses and certificates by avoiding cases of negligence. 

Addressing health practitioners during a medical conference held at Adandsiona Hotel in Francistown, a private legal consultant, Ms Rose Mwangi-Ssali said their duty was to make a difference in human life and bring hope to patients.

She said every health facility, whether private or government owned, every staff member from the cleaning personnel to doctors was responsible for every patient who goes in and out of the facility.  

She cited a recent incident at Bokamoso Hospital where a patient died while doctors were fighting.  Ms Mwangi-Ssali said the hospital was entirely responsible for what transpired and should take responsibility for what happens in their premises.

“An informed consent is not all about signing a form, it entails explaining all the details to the patient, the procedure, the effects and making sure that it is well understood. 

We always have cases of patients suing doctors and they try to defend themselves claiming the forms were signed, but that is not enough evidence. 

The most important question is did you make the patient understand?,” she said

She said health professionals should obey all the rules of evidence, adding that it could be achieved by keeping records that could be presented as proof before the courts. 

Furthermore, Ms Mwangi-SSali advised all medical practitioners to familiarise themselves with legal aspects so that they could become advisors and risk managers to the Ministry of Health. 

She said it could also help the government to save huge sums of money could have otherwise be used to save more lives and instil the integrity of health professionals.

For his part, the acting deputy permanent secretary of clinical services at the Ministry of Health, Mr Botsang John said the conference would contribute positively towards continuing professional development for medical doctors, nurses and other health professionals through empowering them with new knowledge, technical skills and competencies required for providing comprehensive quality health services to the nation.

Mr John said the positive contribution from Idus Health Care was strategically aligned to the Ministry of Health mission statement which emphasises the promotion and provision of comprehensive quality preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services to the nation.

He said they have noted with concern increasing cases of medical malpractice that have resulted in a number of cases being filed in the courts of law. 

Mr John stated that the conference was a golden opportunity for them as it targeted medical doctors, nurses, health care administrators, quality professionals and medic-legal experts for continuing professional development.  Ends