Chimamanda Alleges Medical Negligence in Death of Her Son

Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has released an emotional account of the events surrounding the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, alleging negligence by an anesthesiologist at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.

Talk Nigeria confirmed the authenticity of the statement through Adichie’s media team, which disclosed that the message was initially shared privately with family members and close friends before entering the public domain.

In her statement, Adichie said the tragic incident occurred on January 6, 2026, during a medical procedure at Euracare Hospital. According to her, the family had travelled to Lagos for the Christmas holidays when Nkanu developed symptoms believed to be a mild cold. His condition later worsened into a serious infection, leading to his admission at Atlantis Hospital.

She explained that plans had already been finalised to evacuate her son to the United States on January 7, with travelling doctors and a specialist team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore prepared to receive him. As part of the evacuation process, the Johns Hopkins team requested an MRI scan and a lumbar puncture, while the Nigerian medical team also decided to insert a central line to support intravenous medication during the flight.

Adichie said Atlantis Hospital subsequently referred them to Euracare Hospital for the required procedures. On the morning of January 6, the family arrived at Euracare with the child carried in his father’s arms. She was informed that Nkanu would be sedated to prevent movement during the MRI and central line insertion.

While waiting outside the operating area, Adichie said she noticed frantic activity among medical staff, which immediately alarmed her. Shortly afterward, she was informed that her son had been administered an excessive dose of propofol by the anesthesiologist, became unresponsive, and had to be resuscitated.

She stated that Nkanu, who had no prior history of seizures or heart complications, was placed on a ventilator, intubated, transferred to the intensive care unit and later developed seizures before suffering cardiac arrest. He died several hours later.

Adichie further alleged that her son was not adequately monitored after the drug was administered and that medical staff could not establish when he became unresponsive. She also claimed that after the central line procedure, the anesthesiologist switched off the child’s oxygen and personally carried him to the ICU, a decision she described as reckless.

Describing the anesthesiologist’s actions as “criminally negligent,” Adichie accused him of failing to follow standard medical protocols and being careless with her child’s life. She said the family brought a child who was ill but stable and scheduled for overseas treatment the next day, only to lose him during procedures that were meant to be routine.

Calling the loss her “worst nightmare,” Adichie added that she later learned of two previous cases allegedly involving the same anesthesiologist overdosing children and questioned why he was still allowed to practise.

“This must never happen to another child,” she said.

As of the time of filing this report, neither Euracare Hospital nor the medical personnel mentioned had issued an official response.