Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Accuses Hospital of Negligence In Son’s Death
- Adichie's 21-month-old son died after routine medical care, sparking accusations of negligence
- Hospital denies negligence, but Adichie demands CCTV, records to investigate alleged lack of emergency equipment
- Tragedy highlights systemic issues in Nigeria's healthcare system, with many seeking treatment abroad
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, one of Nigeria’s most celebrated writers, is mourning an unimaginable loss while also demanding accountability from a private hospital in Lagos. Her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, died on January 6 after what was supposed to be routine medical care. Now, Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, are alleging that medical negligence played a role in his death.
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Nkanu was one of twin boys born to the couple in 2024 through surrogacy. The twins arrived eight years after the birth of their daughter, making their family feel newly complete. That sense of joy was shattered when Nkanu became ill and was taken for medical treatment in Lagos.
According to reports, Nkanu was first seen at one hospital before being referred to Euracare, a private medical facility, for further testing. Doctors planned to run an echocardiogram and a brain MRI to better understand what was wrong. He was also scheduled to be medically evacuated to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, close to the family’s home in the United States, but he never made it that far. He died just one day before the planned transfer.
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In messages shared in a private WhatsApp group that later leaked online, Adichie described the pain of losing her son as “living your worst nightmare.” Her team later confirmed that the messages were real.
In those same messages, Adichie accused Euracare of making serious mistakes. She said a doctor told her that an anesthesiologist had given Nkanu too much propofol, a powerful sedative. She claimed the overdose led to complications, and even though doctors tried to revive him and placed him on a ventilator, Nkanu suffered a cardiac arrest that took his life. Adichie described the doctor’s actions as careless and devastating.
Through their lawyers, Adichie and Esege have formally asked the hospital to hand over CCTV footage, medical records, and monitoring data related to Nkanu’s care. Their legal notice alleges that the hospital lacked basic emergency equipment and failed to properly manage a critical situation.
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Euracare has denied that negligence caused the child’s death. The hospital says its staff followed proper medical standards when caring for Nkanu, who they described as critically ill when he arrived. So far, the hospital has not publicly responded to the family’s legal request.
The tragedy has sparked widespread sympathy across Nigeria. President Bola Tinubu sent condolences, and the Lagos State government announced that it will investigate what happened.
Beyond this single case, Nkanu’s death has reopened conversations about Nigeria’s struggling healthcare system. The country has a severe shortage of doctors, limited funding, and weak emergency services, pushing many wealthy Nigerians to seek treatment abroad. For many, Adichie’s loss highlights the painful cost of those systemic failures.
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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Accuses Hospital of Negligence In Son’s Death was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com
