Alleged medical negligence in Adichie’s son’s death sparks probe, doctor’s suspension

Grief, legal action and mounting questions have converged around the death of 21-month-old Nkanu Nnamdi, the son of celebrated Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her partner, Dr Ivara Esege, following a medical procedure at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Lagos.

Solicitors to the couple have formally accused the hospital and its medical personnel of medical negligence, a development that coincides with the suspension of the anaesthesiologist involved and the launch of investigations by both the hospital and the Lagos State Government.

In a legal notice dated January 10, 2026, and issued by PINHEIRO LP, the parents alleged that Euracare, its anaesthesiologist and attending staff breached their duty of care to the child, who died in the early hours of Wednesday, January 7, 2026. The notice was signed by the firm’s founding partner, Prof Kemi Pinheiro (SAN).

According to the solicitors, Nkanu was referred to Euracare on January 6, 2026, from Atlantis Pediatric Hospital for a number of diagnostic and preparatory procedures. These included an echocardiogram, a brain MRI, insertion of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) and a lumbar puncture.

The procedures were reportedly part of preparations for an imminent medical evacuation to the United States, where a specialist team was said to be on standby to receive him.

The letter alleged that intravenous sedation was administered using propofol and that the hospital failed to adequately disclose the associated risks and potential side effects of the drug and other anaesthetic agents.

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The solicitors argued that this failure undermined the legal requirement for informed consent and constituted a prima facie breach of the duty of care owed to the child.

They further stated that the alleged lapses render the hospital and all medical personnel involved liable for medical negligence resulting in the child’s death.

As part of their next legal steps, the parents demanded certified copies of all medical records relating to their son’s treatment within seven days of receipt of the notice.

The documents requested include admission notes, consent forms, pre-anaesthetic assessments, anaesthetic charts, drug administration records, monitoring logs, procedural notes, nursing observations, intensive care unit records, incident reports and the identities of all medical staff involved in the child’s care.

The demand also extends to internal reviews, MRI suite safety logs and any other documentation connected to the child’s treatment. In addition, the hospital was placed on formal notice to preserve all relevant evidence, whether physical or electronic.

This includes CCTV footage from procedure rooms and corridors, electronic monitoring data, pharmacy and drug inventory records, crash-cart and emergency equipment logs, internal communications, and any morbidity and mortality reviews.

In response, Euracare Hospital said in a statement on Saturday that it had commenced “a detailed investigation” into the incident in line with its clinical governance standards and global best practices.

The hospital pledged to engage transparently and responsibly with all relevant clinical and regulatory processes.

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The Lagos State Government has also stepped in. On Sunday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, confirmed that the state had begun its own investigation and that the anaesthesiologist involved in the procedure had been suspended by the hospital.

“It’s an active investigation. We started yesterday,” Ogunyemi said in a telephone interview. “The hospital itself is also doing its own internal investigation, and as far as we know, the anaesthesiologist involved has been suspended by the hospital.

“We will do our normal investigation. This is what we do for everybody. It is only because this one is in the public arena that we are making pronouncements. The Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency exists for this purpose,” she added, noting that expert reviews would form part of the probe.

Meanwhile, the child’s aunt and family doctor, Dr Anthea Nwandu, has publicly challenged Euracare’s account of events. In a statement issued on Sunday, Nwandu, who described herself as a dual board-certified internal medicine physician with more than 30 years of global clinical experience in Nigeria and the United States, disputed the hospital’s claim that the child had been treated at two facilities before arriving at Euracare.

Nwandu further alleged that international medical standards were not adhered to during and after the administration of sedation.

According to her, there was a failure to ensure continuous oxygen therapy and proper monitoring of oxygen saturation, pulse and respiration, as well as a lack of appropriate accompaniment with resuscitative equipment during patient transfer.

She also questioned the handling of the child during transfer to the intensive care unit, alleging that oxygen was disconnected and that there was no continuous monitoring.

She argued that these lapses made it impossible to accurately determine when the child stopped breathing or how long he was without a pulse before resuscitation efforts.

The case has continued to draw widespread public attention following a statement by Adichie on Saturday, in which she accused Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital of negligence leading to her son’s death.

The author disclosed that her son, who was due to be flown abroad for treatment, initially developed what appeared to be a cold before it progressed into a serious infection.

She alleged that after being sedated for MRI and central line procedures, her son was not properly monitored and was given an excessive dose of propofol, resulting in rapid deterioration, seizures, cardiac arrest and, ultimately, his death.