A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: Use of undefined constant REF_SOFFICE_BIN - assumed 'REF_SOFFICE_BIN' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP)

Filename: controllers/New_pages.php

Line Number: 938

Backtrace:

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/application/controllers/New_pages.php
Line: 938
Function: _error_handler

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/application/controllers/New_pages.php
Line: 892
Function: locate_soffice

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/application/controllers/New_pages.php
Line: 741
Function: convert_doc_to_docx

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/application/controllers/New_pages.php
Line: 123
Function: extract_sections_data

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: Use of undefined constant REF_SOFFICE_BIN - assumed 'REF_SOFFICE_BIN' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP)

Filename: controllers/New_pages.php

Line Number: 938

Backtrace:

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/application/controllers/New_pages.php
Line: 938
Function: _error_handler

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/application/controllers/New_pages.php
Line: 892
Function: locate_soffice

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/application/controllers/New_pages.php
Line: 741
Function: convert_doc_to_docx

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/application/controllers/New_pages.php
Line: 123
Function: extract_sections_data

File: /home/u640135541/domains/irejournals.com/public_html/index.php
Line: 315
Function: require_once

Criminology of Medical Errors and Negligence: Prevalence and Consequences on Human Security in Zone a Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria
International Peer-Reviewed Journal•Open Access•ISSN 2456-8880
irejournals@gmail.com•+91-7433024337

Home / Current Issue / Paper 1708956

1708956 Vol 8 · Issue 12 Download Paper

Criminology of Medical Errors and Negligence: Prevalence and Consequences on Human Security in Zone a Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria

Iorkosu Tyover Samuel Afatakpa Onoseme Fortune

Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities  ·  Area of research: Criminology and security studies, Sociology

Abstract

Medical errors and negligence pose a significant threat to human security, resulting in unnecessary harm, injury, and even death, yet the prevalence and consequences of these errors in Nigerian health facilities remain poorly understood. This study examined the prevalence and consequences of medical errors and negligence in public and private health facilities in Zone A Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria. Using the Theory of Unintended Consequences, this mixed-methods study employed a combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques to select participants from 5 public health facilities and 12 private hospitals across 3 Local Government Areas. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to reveal that medical errors occur in both private and public health facilities, with a higher prevalence in public health facilities. Factors responsible for the high prevalence of medical errors in public health facilities include lack of qualified healthcare personnel and high costs associated with surgical operations. The study recommends urgent attention to address staffing shortages, weeding out quack medical personnel, and holding doctors accountable for their absence from work. The findings of this study have significant implications for human security, highlighting the need for improved healthcare delivery and accountability in Nigeria.

Keywords

Criminology of Medical Errors, negligence, Prevalence, Consequences, Human Security

References

[1] Abosede, C.O., Prisca O., & ,Adejumo R.N. (2014). Factors Associated With Medication Errors Among Health Workers In University College Hospital, Nigeria, IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science (IOSR-JNHS), Volume 3, Issue 3 Ver. IV PP 22-33

[2] Alemayehu, B., Mekonnen, A., & Jo-anne, E. B. ( 2017). Adverse Drug Events and Medication Errors in African Hospitals: A Systematic Review, Drugs Real World Outcomes. 2018 Mar; 5(1): 1– 24. Published online 2017 Nov 14. doi: 10.1007/s40801-017-0125-6

[3] Atif, M., Azeem, M., Sarwar, M.R., Malik, I., Ahmad, W., Hassan, F., Rehman, A.,&Rana, M. (2018). Evaluation of prescription errors and prescribing indicators in the private practices in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. J Chin Med Assoc.;81(5): 444-449.

[4] Baba, A. (2023). Medical negligence in Nigeria: A review of the law and practice. Journal of Medical Law and Ethics, 11(1), 1-15.

[5] Baraki, Z., Abay, M., Tsegay, L., Gerensea, H., Kebede, A., Teklay, H. ( 2018). Medication administration error and contributing factors among pediatric inpatient in public hospitals of Tigray, northern Ethiopia.BMC Pediatr. 2018;18(1):1–8. doi: 10.1186/s12887-018- 1294-5 [PMC free article] [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]

[6] Claesson, C., Burman, K., Nilsson, J.&Vinge, E. ( 2017). Prescription errors detected by Swedish Pharmacies.Int J Pharm Pract ;3: 151-6. 14.

[7] Dejene, T.,Girma A.,Zenaw T.,&Wubet, A. (2020).Medication Administration Errors and Associated Factors Among Nurses, Int. J Gen Med. 2020; 13: 1621–1632. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S289452

[8] Fahmy, S., Garfield, S., Furniss, D. ( 2018). A comparison of two methods of assessing the potential clinical importance of medication errors. Safety in Health 2018; 4: 1–4..

[9] Iloh, G., Uche, P., Chuku, A; Amadi, A.( 2021). Medical Errors in Nigeria: A Cross-sectional Study of Medical Practitioners in Abia State, Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences 5(1):p 44-49, Jan–Jun 2017. | DOI: 10.4103/amhs.amhs_1_17

[10] Imen, B., Saida, S., Radhouane T., Amani, G., Emna E., Khaoula M., Helmi B.&Mohamed B.(2022). North-African doctors as second victims of medical errors: a cross sectional survey, BMC Psychiatryvolume 22, Article number: 411 (2022)

[11] Kamorudeen, A. (2018). Victims of Medical Errors in Osun State, Nigeria:A Qualitative Study, Covenant Journal of Business & Social Sciences (CJBSS) Vol. 9 No.1, June,. 2018.

[12] Kehinde M. B. ,Akinwumi, A.A., Ayodele, O. A. &Ademola O. A. (2016). Prevalence and pattern of prescription errors in a Nigerian kidney hospital, Ghana Med J 2016; 50(4): 233-237 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gmj.v50i4.6

[13] Klaas , P.B. et al., (2014). When patients are harmed, but are not wronged: ethics, law, and history, Mayo Clin Proc., 89(9):1279-86.

[14] Mark, L. G. (2022). The incidence of diagnostic error in medicine, https://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/22/Suppl_2/ii21

[15] Nasr, A., Shaima, S., Razan, H., Tareq, M., Sawsan, A., D., Suzan, A., & Ibrahim, A., (2021). Medication errors: a focus on nursing practice, Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research,, Vol 12, 78–86

[16] Ogundare, B. (2019). Medical negligence in Nigeria: A quick guide on liabilities and remedies. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3476524 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3476524

[17] Robert K. Merton (1936). Versatile Sociologist and Father of the Focus Group, Dies at 92, Michael T. Kaufman, The New York Times

[18] Tihitena M.,Sindew M., Binyam, G.,Zelalem, N.M. &Zemichae, G. (2020). Medication administration errors and associated factors among nurses in Addis Ababa federal hospitals, Ethiopia: a hospital-based cross-sectional study; BMJ Open. 2022; 12(12): e066531. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066531

[19] Ukan Kurugh (2025). A human Activist on the Cases of Medical Errors in General Hospial Vandeikya and Benue state at large, Facebook live interactive session, March, 2025.

[20] United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)(2020). Niger River Basin: A Resource for West Africa. UNESCO Reports.

[21] -.^_de’“”©ª­®°ÈÉÌÍÎÑ0 1 2 3 ; ïâïâïïïâÖÖÏÖÁ³ÖÏÖÁ¦˜‰}n_M"hq!h^~ 5�6�CJOJQJaJh^~ h˜gCJOJQJaJh:hq!6�OJQJ\�]�h:6�OJQJ\�]�h:h:6�OJQJ\�]�h:6�H*OJQJ\�]�h:5�CJOJQJaJh:hq!OJPJQJ\�h:hq!H*OJQJ\�hq!hq!hq!hq!OJQJ\�hq!CJ(OJQJ\�aJ(hq!hq!CJ(OJQJ\�aJ(“”Î1 2 3 š›þÿרªëìãõõõõõçÝÝÝÓ·¢ÓÓÓÓÓÓ$„ñÿ„ndì¤:]„ñÿ^„na$gd:$ &F„ñÿ„Å„©dì¤:]„ñÿ^„Å`„©a$gd: $¤a$gd: $¤a$gdq! [Some characters in this reference could not be displayed correctly — please refer to the published PDF for the full reference.]

[22] „ñÿdð¤]„ñÿgd: $¤a$gdq!; = 33 [Some characters in this reference could not be displayed correctly — please refer to the published PDF for the full reference.]

How to cite this paper

Iorkosu Tyover Samuel, Afatakpa Onoseme Fortune "Criminology of Medical Errors and Negligence: Prevalence and Consequences on Human Security in Zone a Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 8 Issue 12 2025 Page 358-371
Iorkosu Tyover Samuel, Afatakpa Onoseme Fortune "Criminology of Medical Errors and Negligence: Prevalence and Consequences on Human Security in Zone a Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 8, no. 12, Jun. 2025
Iorkosu Tyover Samuel, Afatakpa Onoseme Fortune (2025). Criminology of Medical Errors and Negligence: Prevalence and Consequences on Human Security in Zone a Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria. Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 8(12).
Iorkosu Tyover Samuel, Afatakpa Onoseme Fortune "Criminology of Medical Errors and Negligence: Prevalence and Consequences on Human Security in Zone a Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 8, no. 12, Jun. 2025.
@article{1708956,
      author = {Iorkosu Tyover Samuel, Afatakpa Onoseme Fortune},
      title = {Criminology of Medical Errors and Negligence: Prevalence and Consequences on Human Security in Zone a Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2025},
      volume = {8},
      number = {12},
      pages = {358-371},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1708956.pdf},
      abstract = {Medical errors and negligence pose a significant threat to human security, resulting in unnecessary harm, injury, and even death, yet the prevalence and consequences of these errors in Nigerian health facilities remain poorly understood. This study examined the prevalence and consequences of medical errors and negligence in public and private health facilities in Zone A Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria. Using the Theory of Unintended Consequences, this mixed-methods study employed a combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques to select participants from 5 public health facilities and 12 private hospitals across 3 Local Government Areas. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to reveal that medical errors occur in both private and public health facilities, with a higher prevalence in public health facilities. Factors responsible for the high prevalence of medical errors in public health facilities include lack of qualified healthcare personnel and high costs associated with surgical operations. The study recommends urgent attention to address staffing shortages, weeding out quack medical personnel, and holding doctors accountable for their absence from work. The findings of this study have significant implications for human security, highlighting the need for improved healthcare delivery and accountability in Nigeria.},
      keywords = {Criminology of Medical Errors, negligence, Prevalence, Consequences, Human Security},
      month = {June},
  }