How My Son Died in a Lagos Hospital- Chimamanda Adichie

By Emmanuel Kwada 

Renowned Nigerian author and global literary icon Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has broken her silence on the devastating loss of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, accusing Euracare Multispecialist Hospital in Lagos of grave medical negligence that she says turned a routine procedure into a fatal tragedy.

‎In a poignant and detailed personal statement, Adichie described how what began as a seemingly minor cold during the family’s Christmas stay in Lagos escalated into a serious infection.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

‎Nkanu was admitted to Atlantis Hospital, where he remained stable and was scheduled for medical evacuation to the United States on January 7, accompanied by traveling doctors. A team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was prepared to receive him, requesting a lumbar puncture, MRI, and the insertion of a central line for intravenous medications.

‎Atlantis Hospital referred the family to Euracare Hospital, described as the best facility for these procedures. On the morning of January 6, Nkanu—carried in his father’s arms—was taken to Euracare. Doctors informed the family that sedation would be necessary to prevent movement during the MRI and central line insertion.

‎How can you sedate a sick child and neglect to monitor him?

‎Adichie recounted waiting anxiously outside the theater: “I saw people, including Dr. M, rushing into the theater and immediately knew something had happened.”

‎Moments later, Dr. M emerged to inform her that Nkanu had received too much propofol from the anesthesiologist, becoming unresponsive and requiring resuscitation. He was quickly intubated, placed on a ventilator, and admitted to the ICU. What followed were seizures and cardiac arrest—events Adichie emphasized had never occurred before.

‎”Some hours later, Nkanu was gone,” she wrote.

‎The anesthesiologist was CRIMINALLY negligent. He was fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child. No proper protocol was followed.

‎Adichie alleged that Nkanu was never properly monitored after the propofol administration. She described the anesthesiologist as “casually” carrying the sedated child on his shoulder to the theater, making it impossible to determine precisely when he became unresponsive.

‎”How can you sedate a sick child and neglect to monitor him?” she asked. She further claimed that after the central line procedure, the anesthesiologist switched off Nkanu’s oxygen and again carried him on his shoulder to the ICU.

‎

Chimamanda Ngozi

‎”The anesthesiologist was CRIMINALLY negligent. He was fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child. No proper protocol was followed,” Adichie asserted.

‎The family had brought in a child who was unwell but stable, expecting only basic preparatory procedures. Instead, Adichie said, “our beautiful little boy was gone forever. It is like living your worst nightmare. I will never survive the loss of my child.”

‎She also revealed hearing of two previous cases involving the same anesthesiologist overdosing children, questioning why Euracare allowed him to continue practicing. “This must never happen to another child,” she concluded.

‎Nkanu Nnamdi, one of Adichie’s twin boys born in 2025, passed away on January 7, 2026. The family initially announced the loss as following a brief illness, requesting privacy during their grief.

‎This must never happen to another child

‎Euracare Hospital has expressed sympathy for the family while denying the negligence allegations, stating that care followed established protocols and that Nkanu had been critically ill upon arrival after treatment at other facilities. The hospital noted he passed away less than 24 hours after presentation.

‎The Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists has confirmed it is monitoring the allegations, and reports indicate the Lagos State government has ordered an investigation into the circumstances.

‎Adichie’s statement has sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for accountability in Nigeria’s healthcare system, with many expressing solidarity and demanding justice for Nkanu.

‎The literary world and Adichie’s global readership continue to offer condolences to her and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, as they navigate this unimaginable loss.