Law on professional malpractice in Uganda

Abstract

Professional malpractice refers to negligence or misdeeds by many professionals such as doctors, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, nurses’ architects, engineers. Professional misconduct seems to be a topic in daily news headlines. Malpractice law provides the rules and procedures for holding professionals responsible for the harm that results from their carelessness. People depend on lawyers, pastors, judges, accountants and engineers, traditional medical practitioners, doctors and all other experts to perform their jobs prudently. They are entrusted with the sacred duty of preserving virtues of life, promoting justice for the oppressed, protecting health, offering penance to those who repent. However, these people instead act contrary and thus the term Professional misconduct. States governed by their various laws provide solutions to the violations conducted by these professionals. The law of Professional Misconduct aims at addressing professional negligence, creating a forum for redress mechanisms, promoting accountability, fostering patient safety and providing quality services. Meaning of Professional. The word Professional means practicing of a learned art in a characteristically methodological, courteous manner.1 It should be noted and recorded that every profession is guided by a code of conduct of ethics and headed by an overall or regulatory body. The conduct of conduct sets the standard of minimally accepted conduct within their profession. They act as a guide to ensure right and proper conduct in the daily practice of the profession.