In a harrowing and meticulously detailed public statement, the internationally acclaimed Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has broken her silence regarding the death of her twenty-one-month-old son, Nkanu. The document, which was initially shared within a private circle of family and confidants before being released to the public, outlines a series of alleged medical failures that culminated in what the author describes as her “worst nightmare.”
The tragedy unfolded during a festive family visit to Lagos for the Christmas period. What began as a mild cold rapidly escalated into a serious infection, necessitating Nkanu’s admission to Atlantis Hospital. In a bid to ensure the highest standard of care, arrangements had been made for the toddler to be flown to the United States on the 7th of January. There, a specialist team at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore stood ready to receive him.
However, prior to the transatlantic flight, the American medical team requested several diagnostic tests, including a lumbar puncture and an MRI scan. It was also determined that a central line was required to facilitate the administration of intravenous medications during the journey.
On the morning of the 6th of January, acting on referrals to Euracare Hospital, regarded as the facility best equipped for such procedures, the family arrived with Nkanu. Ms Adichie recounts the poignant image of her son being carried into the hospital in his father’s arms, unwell but stable.
To ensure the child remained still during the sensitive MRI and the insertion of the central line, sedation was required. It was during this phase that the situation turned catastrophic. According to the statement, shortly after the procedures commenced, medical personnel rushed into the theatre, a clear signal that a grave error had occurred.
Ms Adichie alleges that the attending anaesthesiologist administered an “excessive dose” of propofol, rendering the child unresponsive. Whilst initial resuscitation efforts appeared successful, Nkanu was subsequently intubated and placed on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit. Tragically, hours later, the toddler suffered a series of seizures followed by cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
The author’s statement levels a searing critique against the hospital’s protocols and the specific conduct of the anaesthesiologist. Ms Adichie claims her son was never subjected to the rigorous monitoring mandated for sedated paediatric patients. She further alleges that the anaesthesiologist was seen carrying Nkanu on his shoulder between procedures without oxygen monitoring, in direct contravention of established medical standards.
“We brought in a child who was unwell but stable and scheduled to travel the next day,” the statement reads. “We came to conduct basic procedures. And suddenly, our beautiful little boy was gone forever.”
Beyond the personal loss, the statement raises systemic concerns regarding oversight at Euracare Hospital. Ms Adichie claims that information has since come to light suggesting at least two prior instances where the same anaesthesiologist was involved in the overdosing of paediatric patients. She pointedly questioned why the practitioner was still permitted to operate within the facility.
The release of the statement has sent shockwaves through Nigeria and the global literary community. On social media, thousands have expressed a mixture of profound sympathy and righteous indignation.
The tragedy has reignited a fierce national debate regarding the standards of paediatric care and the efficacy of medical regulatory bodies in Nigeria. Health experts have weighed in, stressing that the administration of anaesthesia to minors requires unerring precision and constant vigilance—elements that Ms Adichie contends were fatally absent.
Whilst the family’s legal representatives have yet to formalise any plans for litigation, the statement serves as a potent demand for accountability. It is, as Ms Adichie suggests, a plea to ensure that no other family must endure the preventable loss of a child due to medical negligence.
As the conversation regarding patient safety gains momentum, all eyes remain on the regulatory authorities to see how they will respond to these grave allegations against one of the country’s leading private medical institutions.
