The Body Bequest Program: Perception of Anatomy Teachers in Medical Schools in South-western Nigeria

The body bequest program is fast becoming a significant source of cadavers for anatomical study. Due to the shortage of cadavers for dissections in institutions across Nigerians, there is a need to investigate untapped sources of cadavers. The objective of this study was to ascertain and determine the awareness and attitude toward body donation programs among anatomy teachers in Western Nigeria hence a cross sectional study was conducted. Data was received from consenting teachers in all Departments of Anatomy in tertiary institutions in the South-western part of Nigeria by using convenient sampling method. Results showed that 34.9% had the foreknowledge of the body bequest program while 72.1% were aware of the scarcity of cadavers in their institution. When it came to voluntary body donation, only 51.2% were willing to donate their bodies, while 32.6% saw their religious belief as a hindrance to being a part of the program. These results suggest the need for a re-orientation of the teachers of anatomy about body donation which in turn will help the public to be more disposed to donate their bodies.

Key Words: cadavers, body donation, Anatomy, Teachers