Chimamanda Adichie Alleges Hospital Negligence After Son’s Death

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Chimamanda Adichie, a renowned Nigerian author, has alleged gross medical negligence following the death of her son, Nkanu, after a medical procedure at Euracare Hospital in Lagos on January 6.

Adichie said the family had travelled to Lagos for the Christmas holidays when Nkanu developed what initially appeared to be a minor cold but rapidly worsened into a serious infection.

He was admitted to Atlantis Hospital, where arrangements were made for him to be flown to the United States the following day, January 7, under the care of Travelling Doctors, with a specialist team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore awaiting his arrival.

According to her account, doctors in the US requested a lumbar puncture and an MRI scan, while the Nigerian medical team also planned to insert a central line to facilitate intravenous treatment during the journey.

Atlantis Hospital subsequently referred the family to Euracare Hospital, which was described to them as the most appropriate facility for the procedures.

On the morning of January 6, Nkanu was taken to Euracare, carried by his father.

Adichie said she was informed that her son would be sedated to prevent movement during the MRI and the central line insertion.

While waiting outside the theatre, she noticed unusual activity as medical staff rushed in, prompting immediate concern.

She was later told that the anaesthesiologist had administered an excessive dose of propofol, rendering Nkanu unresponsive before he was resuscitated.

She said her son was subsequently placed on a ventilator, intubated and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

This was followed by seizures and a cardiac arrest, complications she stressed had never occurred prior to the procedure. Hours later, Nkanu died.

Adichie further alleged that her son was not properly monitored after being sedated, claiming the anaesthesiologist carried him into the theatre without adequate supervision, making it unclear when he became unresponsive.

She also accused the doctor of switching off her son’s oxygen after the procedure and transporting him to the ICU without due care.

Describing the conduct as criminally negligent, she said standard medical protocols were ignored, resulting in the loss of a child who had been ill but stable and scheduled to travel for advanced care the next day.

“It is like living your worst nightmare,” she said, expressing profound grief over the loss of her son.

Adichie also claimed the family has since learned of two previous cases in which the same anaesthesiologist allegedly overdosed children, raising questions about why the hospital allowed him to continue practising.

She called for accountability, stressing that the tragedy should serve as a warning and that urgent steps must be taken to ensure such an incident does not happen to another child.

However, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State branch, has stepped forward to defend the integrity of the medical profession.

The body warned that allegations surrounding the death of Chimamanda Adichie’s son must not be reduced to what it described as a trial by media.

Speaking with resolve, the Chairman of NMA Lagos, Dr. Saheed Babajide, said doctors could not remain silent while a deeply sensitive matter was being litigated in the public arena without recourse to established professional and regulatory processes.

Credit: Stonix News