Chimamanda Alleges Medical Negligence in Son’s Death, Family Doctor Disputes Hospital’s Account
Chimamanda Alleges Medical Negligence in Son’s Death, Family Doctor Disputes Hospital’s Account
Renowned Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has accused a Lagos-based private hospital of medical negligence following the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, an allegation now reinforced by a detailed rebuttal from the child’s aunt, Dr Anthea Esege Nwandu, a U.S.-based physician.
The toddler died on January 7, 2026, after undergoing medical procedures at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos.
The incident has since sparked widespread public concern and renewed debate about patient safety standards in private healthcare facilities.
ARISE News confirmed on Saturday that Adichie personally authored a statement detailing the events leading to her son’s death. The message was initially shared privately with close family and friends before becoming public.
What Happened
Adichie explained that her family had travelled to Lagos for the Christmas holidays when Nkanu developed what initially appeared to be a mild cold but later worsened into a serious infection.
He was admitted to Atlantis Hospital, where doctors prepared him for an emergency medical evacuation to the United States.
She said a medical team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was already on standby to receive the child and had requested an MRI scan and a lumbar puncture test ahead of the flight.
Atlantis Hospital subsequently referred the family to Euracare, which they were told had the facilities to perform the procedures.
On the morning of January 6, Nkanu was taken to Euracare for the MRI scan and the insertion of a central line, a procedure that required sedation.
“I was waiting just outside the theatre,” Adichie recalled. “When I saw medical staff rushing in, I immediately knew something was wrong.”
She said she was later informed that her son had been given an excessive dose of propofol, an anaesthetic drug, by the attending anesthesiologist.
According to her account, the child became unresponsive and had to be resuscitated.
Soon after, Nkanu was placed on a ventilator, intubated, and admitted to the intensive care unit. Adichie said he later developed seizures and suffered cardiac arrest.
“Some hours later, my son was gone,” she said.
Allegations of Negligence
Adichie alleged that her son was not properly monitored after sedation, describing the anesthesiologist’s conduct as “criminally negligent.”
“How can you sedate a sick child and fail to monitor him?” she asked. “Nobody knows when he became unresponsive.”
She further claimed that after the procedure, the anesthesiologist disconnected her son’s oxygen and carried him on his shoulder to the ICU without monitoring equipment.
She also alleged that the family later learned of previous incidents involving the same anesthesiologist overdosing children, raising questions about why the hospital allowed him to continue practising.
“This must never happen to another child,” she said.
Family Doctor Challenges Hospital’s Version
In a separate and detailed statement, Dr Anthea Esege Nwandu, the child’s aunt, publicly challenged Euracare’s account of the incident, describing it as inconsistent with internationally accepted medical standards.
Dr Nwandu, a dual board-certified internal medicine physician with over 30 years of global clinical experience, said the hospital failed on multiple fronts.
She disputed Euracare’s claim that the child had been treated at two paediatric centres prior to arriving at the hospital, stating that Nkanu was only managed at one facility before referral.
She also rejected the hospital’s assertion that care was provided in line with international standards, listing several alleged lapses including:
• Failure to provide continuous oxygen therapy during sedation
• Lack of continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation, pulse, and respiration
• Absence of resuscitation equipment while transporting the child within the hospital
• Carrying a sedated child on the shoulder without visual contact or monitoring
• Disconnecting oxygen while transferring the child to the ICU.
According to her, these lapses made it impossible to accurately determine when the child stopped breathing or how long he remained pulseless before resuscitation.
Dr Nwandu stated that the child was medically stable and scheduled for a flight to the United States when the incident occurred.
Hospital Responds Briefly
When contacted for a response, a Euracare spokesperson declined to address the allegations directly, stating only:
“Whatever information you need, you get it between us and Chimamanda. Thank you.”
National Reactions
Following news of the child’s death, several prominent Nigerians, including President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi, expressed condolences to Adichie and her family.
While investigations have yet to be formally announced, the allegations have intensified calls for greater accountability, stricter regulation and improved patient safety standards in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
