Professor Dike Obalum, a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Medical Jurisprudence, has highlighted that medical negligence imposes hidden costs on patients, families, healthcare professionals, hospitals, and the wider health system. Speaking at a symposium in Lagos to mark the 2026 World Patient Safety Day, themed 'The Hidden Cost of Medical Negligence and the Conundrum of Justice', Obalum noted that while patients who suffer preventable harm deserve truth, explanation, compensation, and justice, excessive litigation can create fear among healthcare professionals and encourage defensive medical practice. He stated that the central challenge is to protect patients without undermining legitimate medical practice.
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