The Advocacy Against Medical Negligence and Malpractice Initiative (AAMENAMI) has urged Nigerians to know and exercise their rights as patients, saying greater awareness could help prevent avoidable harm and improve healthcare experiences.

Founder of AAMENAMI, Mrs Nkechi Azike Igogori, made the call during a community outreach programme in Oke Aro, Pig Farm Estate, Lagos, organised to educate residents on patients’ rights and how to recognise and respond to possible medical negligence.The programme, themed “Know Your Rights: How to Recognise and Prevent Medical Negligence,” focused on helping participants become more active and informed about their healthcare and encouraging better communication between patients and healthcare providers.

Igogori told the participants that patients have the right to be treated with respect, dignity and courtesy, as well as the right to receive clear information about their medical condition and proposed treatment.

She also encouraged patients to ask questions whenever they do not understand their diagnosis, medication or treatment, stressing that being in a hospital does not mean patients should remain silent about concerns regarding their care.

According to her, patients also have the right to access information about their medical records, complain when they are not treated properly, and receive adequate information before giving consent to certain procedures and treatments.

She said AAMENAMI was concerned about preventable harm and practices that could unnecessarily put patients at risk, noting that the foundation was not established to work against medical professionals, but to promote better communication and cooperation between healthcare providers and patients.

Igogori cautioned, however, that not every negative outcome or death in a hospital should automatically be regarded as medical negligence, noting that some complications may occur despite the efforts of medical professionals.

Igogori also educated the participants on some warning signs that could indicate possible medical negligence, including repeated failure to respond to serious symptoms, deterioration in a patient’s condition without appropriate attention, suspected medication errors, dismissal of important symptoms without reasonable assessment and inadequate monitoring of seriously ill patients.

The founder said the initiative was established following the death of her 29-year-old son, Ejiro, on October 21, 2023, over alleged medical negligence. She explained that the painful experience prompted her to establish AAMENAMI as a platform to promote patient safety, medical literacy and better communication between patients and healthcare providers.

One of the facilitators, Mrs Yemisi Zaria, said medical negligence has become a source of grave concern and urged the participants to take an active role in matters concerning their health and to share the knowledge gained with family members, friends and neighbours
One of the participants, Mrs Adetutu Olugbenga, commended AAMENAMI for the initiative, saying she and her family had allegedly experienced medical negligence on three occasions.

She said increased public awareness was necessary to help people recognise possible problems in healthcare and know the appropriate steps to take.

The outreach also featured an interactive question-and-answer session, with participants seeking clarification on various health-related issues and sharing personal experiences they believed were connected to medical negligence.

Other participants also shared their experiences and made suggestions on ways to improve patient care while also calling for better welfare and working conditions for healthcare professionals.

In her closing remarks, Igogori led the participants in a pledge to take greater responsibility for their health and that of their family members.
She urged them not to remain silent when they did not understand what was happening during medical treatment.

“When you know your rights, you can ask better questions. When you ask questions, you become more involved in your healthcare,” she said.
The AAMENAMI outreach is part of the organisation’s wider campaign to promote patients’ rights, safety and awareness of medical negligence in communities. In a similar outreach in Okohia Osu Community in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, AAMENAMI also called for greater awareness of patients’ rights, while advocating diligence, transparency, accountability and professionalism among healthcare providers.