Famend Nigerian creator, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has alleged medical negligence within the circumstances surrounding the dying of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, who died on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
Adichie’s media staff confirmed on Saturday that she authored an announcement detailing the incident.
Based on her representatives, the message was initially despatched privately to members of the family and some shut mates.
Within the assertion, Adichie mentioned her son was taken to Euracare Hospital for an MRI scan and the insertion of a central line, throughout which he was sedated however was not correctly monitored after being administered propofol, resulting in issues together with lack of responsiveness, seizures, and cardiac arrest.
She acknowledged that her son “could be alive at present if not for an incident at Euracare Hospital on January sixth,” the place he was taken for medical procedures.
Adichie defined that her household had been in Lagos for Christmas when her son developed what they initially believed was a chilly, which later “become a really severe an infection.”
“We have been in Lagos for Christmas. Nkanu had what we first thought was only a chilly, however quickly become a really severe an infection, and he was admitted to Atlantis Hospital.
“He was to journey to the US the following day, January seventh, accompanied by travelling medical doctors. A staff at Johns Hopkins was ready to obtain him in Baltimore. The Hopkins staff had requested for a lumbar puncture check and an MRI,” she mentioned.
Based on her, Atlantis Hospital referred them to Euracare Hospital, “which was mentioned to be the very best place to have the procedures carried out.”
“The Nigerian staff had additionally determined to place in a ‘central line’ (used to manage IV medicines) in preparation for Nkanu’s flight. The morning of the sixth, we left Atlantis Hospital for Euracare, Nkanu carried in his father’s arms.
“We have been advised he would should be sedated to stop him from transferring throughout the MRI and the ‘central line’ process. I used to be ready simply exterior the theatre. I noticed folks, together with Dr M, speeding into the theatre and instantly knew one thing had occurred,” she acknowledged.
Adichie mentioned she was later advised her son had been administered an extreme dose of propofol by the anesthesiologist.
“A short while later, Dr M got here out and advised me Nkanu had been given an excessive amount of propofol by the anesthesiologist, had grow to be unresponsive and was shortly resuscitated,” she mentioned.
She acknowledged that her son was subsequently positioned on a ventilator, intubated, and admitted to the intensive care unit, after which he developed seizures and suffered cardiac arrest.
“However instantly, Nkanu was on a ventilator; he was intubated and positioned within the ICU. The following factor I heard was that he had seizures. Cardiac arrest. All these had by no means occurred earlier than. Some hours later, Nkanu was gone,” she mentioned.
Adichie additional alleged that her son was not monitored after being sedated and described the anesthesiologist’s actions as criminally negligent.
“It seems that Nkanu was by no means monitored after being given an excessive amount of propofol. The anesthesiologist had simply casually carried Nkanu on his shoulder to the theatre, so no person is aware of when precisely Nkanu grew to become unresponsive.
“ How are you going to sedate a sick little one and neglect to watch him? Later, after the ‘central line’ process, the anesthesiologist casually switched off Nkanu’s oxygen and once more determined to hold him on his shoulder to the ICU!
“The anesthesiologist was CRIMINALLY negligent. He was fatally informal and careless with the dear life of a kid. No correct protocol was adopted.”
She mentioned the household introduced in “a baby who was unwell however secure and scheduled to journey the following day” for what she described as “fundamental procedures,” however misplaced him unexpectedly.
“And instantly, our stunning little boy was gone eternally. It’s like residing your worst nightmare. I’ll by no means survive the lack of my little one,” she mentioned.
Adichie additionally alleged that they later discovered of earlier incidents involving the identical anesthesiologist.
“We now have now heard about two earlier circumstances of this similar anesthesiologist overdosing youngsters. Why did Euracare permit him to maintain working?” she requested, including, “This mustn’t ever occur to a different little one.”
Euracare Hospital’s spokesperson briefly responded to.media inquiries, “No matter data you want, you get it between us and Chimamanda. Thanks”
The 21-month-old died after a short sickness.
Following the announcement of his dying, a number of outstanding Nigerians, together with President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former presidential candidate Peter Obi, expressed condolences to Adichie and her household.