2. What are ethical liabilities outlined in the Ethiopian Proclamation No 661/2009? 3. What is informed consent,and why is it considered an essential element of ethical healthcare practice?

2. The Ethiopian Proclamation No 661/2009 outlines several ethical liabilities, including:<br /><br />- **Confidentiality**: Healthcare professionals are required to maintain the confidentiality of patient information and use it only for the purpose of providing healthcare services.<br />- **Informed Consent**: Patients must be fully informed about their medical condition, the proposed treatment, and the potential risks and benefits before giving their consent.<br />- **Non-Maleficence**: Healthcare professionals must avoid causing harm to patients and take steps to minimize potential risks.<br />- **Beneficence**: Healthcare professionals must act in the best interest of the patient and strive to promote their well-being.<br />- **Justice**: Healthcare professionals must ensure fairness and equity in the distribution of healthcare resources and services.<br /><br />3. **Informed Consent** is a process in which a healthcare provider educates a patient about the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a given procedure or intervention, and the patient must give their voluntary agreement to proceed. It is considered an essential element of ethical healthcare practice because it respects the patient's autonomy and their right to make informed decisions about their own healthcare. Informed consent ensures that patients are fully aware of what is being done to them and why, and that they have given their explicit permission for the procedure or intervention to proceed. This helps to build trust between the patient and healthcare provider, and it ensures that the patient's values and preferences are respected in their healthcare decisions.