Death of Chimamanda Adichie’s Son Sparks Negligence Probe, Exposes Gaps in Patient Safety
The death of 21-month-old Nkanu Nnamdi Adichie-Esege, son of renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, has triggered intense public scrutiny of medical practice, accountability, and patient safety within Nigeria’s private healthcare sector.
This heartbreaking tragedy has rapidly evolved into a legal and ethical reckoning, raising difficult questions about standards of care, transparency, and the safeguards meant to protect the most vulnerable patients.
A Child Referred for Tests, Not Treatment
According to information contained in a formal legal notice issued on January 10, 2026, the child was referred to Euracare Hospital a private multispecialist hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos, on January 6, 2026. The referral was made primarily to carry out diagnostic and preparatory procedures requested by an overseas medical team in the United States, where a full medical evacuation had already been arranged for the following day.
Sources close to the family say the child had developed an infection while the family was in Lagos for the Christmas holidays. Although unwell, he was described as stable, with arrangements already in place for onward transfer to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where specialists were reportedly on standby.
The procedures scheduled in Lagos included an echocardiogram, brain MRI, lumbar puncture, and the insertion of a peripherally inserted central catheter to facilitate treatment during transport.
Sedation, Transfer, and Sudden Collapse
Central to the allegations now before the hospital is the administration of intravenous sedation using propofol, a powerful anaesthetic agent that requires careful dosing and continuous monitoring, particularly in critically ill children.
The legal notice alleges that during the course of these procedures, and while the child was still under sedation, he was transferred between clinical areas under conditions that did not meet established paediatric safety standards. It is alleged that he was moved without supplemental oxygen, without continuous physiological monitoring, and without adequate accompanying medical personnel.
According to the notice, the child developed sudden and severe complications during transportation to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory following the MRI. He was later pronounced dead in the early hours of January 7, 2026.
Alleged Breaches of Duty of Care
The solicitors acting for Adichie and her husband Esege, led by Prof. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, outlined multiple alleged lapses that they argue amount to prima facie medical negligence.
These include concerns about the appropriateness and cumulative dosing of propofol, failure to secure the airway during deep sedation, inadequate monitoring of vital signs, delayed recognition of respiratory or cardiovascular distress, and the absence or unavailability of essential resuscitation equipment at critical moments.
The parents also allege a failure to properly disclose the risks associated with the anaesthetic agents used, raising questions about whether informed consent, a cornerstone of ethical medical practice, was meaningfully obtained.
In their view, these failures directly contributed to their son’s deterioration, seizures, cardiac arrest, and eventual death.
Demand for Records and Preservation of Evidence
As part of their legal steps, the parents have formally demanded certified copies of all medical records related to their son’s care, including anaesthetic charts, drug administration logs, monitoring records, nursing notes, ICU documentation, incident reports, and the identities of all staff involved.
The hospital has also been placed on notice to preserve all physical and electronic evidence, including CCTV footage, monitoring data, pharmacy records, crash-cart logs, internal communications, and any morbidity and mortality reviews.
The notice warns that any loss, alteration, or destruction of evidence would be treated as obstruction of justice.
The Hospital’s Response
Euracare Multispecialist Hospital has expressed sympathy to the family while disputing what it describes as inaccuracies in some public reports.
In a statement, the hospital said the child was critically ill on arrival, having received prior treatment at other facilities, and that care was provided in line with established clinical protocols and internationally accepted standards. It emphasised that its team is internationally trained and experienced, and that sedation was administered where clinically indicated.
The hospital also stated that it worked collaboratively with external medical teams at the family’s request and has commenced an internal investigation consistent with its clinical governance procedures.
While expressing compassion for the family’s loss, the hospital maintained that due process should be allowed to take its course.
A Mother’s Account and Public Outcry
In a personal account confirmed by her media team, Adichie has alleged grave negligence, stating that her son would be alive today but for what she described as fatal lapses during what should have been routine procedures.
She alleged that her son received an excessive dose of propofol, was inadequately monitored, and suffered seizures and cardiac arrest he had never previously experienced. She also claimed that oxygen was switched off during transport and that the anaesthesiologist carried the sedated child without continuous observation.
Perhaps most troubling is her claim that the hospital had prior knowledge of earlier cases involving alleged anaesthetic overdoses by the same practitioner, raising questions about oversight and internal accountability.
Her account has resonated widely, amplifying public anger and grief, and reinforcing longstanding fears about patient safety in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Beyond One Case: A System Under Strain
While investigations are ongoing and legal liability has yet to be established, the case has reopened a broader conversation about systemic weaknesses in healthcare delivery.
Nigeria’s private hospitals are often viewed as safer alternatives to underfunded public facilities. Yet this case underscores that modern buildings and advanced equipment do not automatically guarantee safety. Robust protocols, continuous monitoring, transparent incident reporting, and a culture that prioritises patient welfare over reputation are equally critical.
Experts note that paediatric anaesthesia carries inherent risks and demands strict adherence to protocols. Failures in communication, supervision, or monitoring can have catastrophic consequences within minutes.
Awaiting Accountability
For now, the family has requested privacy as they mourn their son. Regulatory probes ordered by the Lagos State Government are underway, and legal proceedings appear imminent.
At stake is not only accountability for one child’s death, but public trust in a healthcare system meant to heal, not harm. As Nigerians watch closely, the outcome of this case may shape future standards for transparency, regulation, and patient safety across the country.
What remains undeniable is the loss at the heart of the story: a young life cut short, and parents left asking how a hospital visit meant to prepare their child for survival ended instead in tragedy.
