Effects of Medical Malpractices on Health Care Delivery in Selected General Hospitals in the Districts of Buikwe and Kayunga.

Abstract

ABIRIA SILVIO (2012-M191-10001) Effects of Medical Malpractices on Health Care Delivery in Selected General Hospitals in the Districts of Buikwe and Kayunga Medical malpractice is a professional negligence by act or omission, by a health worker which may result in death, disability, deformity, additional hospitalisation or surgery to correct the severe pain to a patient. The global evidence by researchers in medical malpractices indicates that it exists in both developed and developing nations. All health care interventions are intended to benefit patients, but they could also cause harm. Globally, there is a gap in quality and safety in health service delivery in even developed nations (WHO, 2004). The Ugandan health system is still weak with inadequate and poor infrastructure, associated with poor management capacity and ill-equipped health facilities and low morale of health workers. The study was conducted in the purposively selected general hospitals of Kawolo, Kayunga and Nyenga, found in the districts of Buikwe and Kayunga in the Eastern part of Central Uganda. These hospitals are in rural settings that operate in the mentioned health systems of Uganda, with a number of complaints from patients, politicians, opinion leaders and the media about malpractices in these health facilities. The complex combination of processes, technologies and human interactions that constitute the health care delivery systems can bring significant benefits. This, however, also involves inevitable risks of adverse events that could and indeed very often happen. Key Words: Effects, Medical Malpractices, Health Care Delivery, Selected, General Hospitals Districts, Buikwe and Kayunga