Medical certification of death and indications for medico-legal autopsies: The need for inclusion in continue medical education in Nigeria

Abstract

A study of medical doctor’s attitude to filling of the death certificate was carried out by administrating questionnaire to medical doctors at a national conference which was attended by 300 doctors. Out of this, 114 of them responded with 111 being males and 3 females. Results show that 50% of the respondents had practiced for 6 - 15 years and 71% of them never had training in filling of the death certificate. 55% of the doctors were exposed to death certificate at the post-graduate level. The registrars (resident doctors) filled death certificate in 44.71% of cases. Only 2.63% of the doctors were able to list more than 7 reasons for medico-legal post mortem examination while 29% of them were correct in knowing the cause of death of the clinical case provided. This study has strongly supported the need to include formal training on death certificate completion and indications for medico-legal autopsies as part of continue Medical Education in Nigeria.   Key words: Death certification, continue medical education, coroners (medico-legal autopsies), Medical doctors, Nigeria.