Autopsy rate extremely low in Nigeria – Pathologist

Prof. Mikhail Buhari of the Department of Pathology, University of Ilorin (Unilorin), says the autopsy rate is very low in Nigeria due to religious and cultural inclinations.

Buhari made this known in a paper he presented at the 218th Inaugural Lecture of the university, entitled "The Doctors' Doctor: Doctor Weighing Clinical and Morphological Evidence to Make Life-Changing Decisions."

According to him, hospitals should have clearly spelled out autopsy policies in order to derive the maximum benefits from the procedure.

He described autopsy pathology as the study of the cause and manner of death, adding that it is also called postmortem examination.

The expert, who teaches in the Faculty of Clinical Sciences of Unilorin, asserted that autopsy pathology is beneficial to physicians in establishing diagnosis and determining cause of death, and also in providing data needed to ensure quality assurance in medical practice.

"Pathologists make diagnoses of established cancers but are also at the forefront of examining samples submitted for screening purposes to detect precancerous lesions in a bid to prevent the debilitating disease," he said.

Similarly, Buhari called on the government at all levels to create special centers for the management of cancer and kidney disorders across the country.

He suggested that such special management centers, if required, may be established on a geographical and regional basis to treat cancers and kidney disorders.

According to him, there is a need for institutions to generate their own autopsy policies and for various state governments to review the old Coronal Law.

The don noted that large-scale investment in creating awareness about the various cancer screening programs cannot be overemphasized, considering the cancer burden and its attendant effects on the individual, family, and nation.

He also stressed the need to making affordable the vaccines for the few vaccine-preventable cancers.

Buhari also urged the government to devise means of returning and keeping the best hands beyond the statutory retirement age without necessarily putting a heavy burden on the institutions.

He said the government should appreciate and covet the uncommon skills of the finest scientists in the country to protect the present and safeguard the future.