ACCESSIBILITY OF INFORMED CONSENT PRACTICES IN NIGERIA AND THE POSITION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Abstract

Informed consent is a cornerstone of healthcare, rooted in both legal and ethical frameworks. It empowers patients to make autonomous decisions about their bodies and medical treatment(s) as well as fosters trust, respect and patient- centered care. Unfortunately, despite its universal application, this practice is a concern in Nigeria. Physicians in Nigeria have been found to be non-complaint in adopting the practice of informed consent. Many patients are not informed of their diagnosis by their healthcare provider, nor are they allowed to be aware of the medications being administered to them. Possible complications that may arise from anesthesia or surgery is hidden. In most circumstances, consent forms for medical treatments are signed by family members or relatives on behalf of a competent, non-minor patient, without the patient’s direct consent. Reports show that 71.4% of healthcare providers do not obtain informed consent while 57.1% do not have access to written information about their treatment. These practices are mostly perpetuated at the primary and secondary levels of healthcare and traceable to the culture and cosmology of the people. This paper explores the extent of the accessibility of informed consent practices in Nigeria as well as its limitations.