Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Forensic pathologists have lamented the rising spate of uninvestigated unnatural deaths in the country and stressed the need to raise awareness and sensitise the people on what to do in the case of unnatural deaths.
The doctors are advocating that unnatural deaths should be investigated by way of autopsy before anyone can draw a conclusion about the real cause of death.
They raise the alarm in a communique issued at the end of a three-day international workshop on Forensic Medicine, Death and Investigation of Death-II held at the College of Health Sciences Auditorium, Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State.
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The workshop, which was attended by some participants from South Africa, was organised by the Department of Anatomical Pathology, College of Health sciences, of the university in conjunction with Benue State University Teaching Hospital.
The communiqué, which was signed by the Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the workshop, Dr. Babajide Ojo, added that a lot still needs to be done in the area of investigation of medico-legal deaths in the country.
“There is a need for raising the level of awareness among the populace on what to do with unnatural deaths as well as further training for the police, more education for medical doctors and specialist doctors on forensic medicine.
“There is also the need for mentorship for medical students and encouragement of them to eventually sub-specialise in forensic medicine to close the gap of inadequate experts in the field of forensic pathology.”