Dark age of sourcing cadavers in developing countries: a Nigerian survey

Throughout the history of medical science, the sourcing, storage, and management of cadavers for the study of gross anatomy have been problematic issues. As presented in this report, a study of these issues was conducted in the departments of anatomy of medical schools in Nigeria. To establish the extent and depth of the prevailing difficulties in the sourcing of cadavers, 18 (62.1%) of the Departments of Anatomy that qualified for this study were used. In sum, 94.4% of these schools reported an inadequate number of cadavers for study. The estimated ages of the cadavers were between 20 and 40 years and 85% of the schools reported more than 75% of the cadavers to be from the lower socioeconomic class. Altogether, 94.4% of the schools reported a male dominance of more than 95%. More than 72% of the schools reported that more than 90% of the cadavers were criminals that had been killed by shooting, less than 10% were unclaimed and unidentified corpses, and 0% originated from body bequest. No form of screening exercises for diseases and infective microorganisms was noted for all the schools, and there were no set standards for the acceptance or rejection of cadavers. Causative factors for the profile of available cadavers such as culture and religion were noted. This study was designed to look at various issues associated with the sourcing of cadavers for Anatomy education in typical developing African countries like Nigeria. As outlined in this report, the creation of legislation and the promotion and funding of programs highlighting the importance of body donation are crucial for improving the field of medical education.