Celebrated Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has spoken publicly for the first time about the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, releasing a detailed statement describing what she alleges was fatal medical negligence at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.
ARISE News, which confirmed the authenticity of the statement after speaking with Adichie’s media team, reported that the message was originally shared privately with family members and a small circle of close friends before its contents became public.
According to Adichie, her son fell ill while the family was in Lagos for Christmas. What initially appeared to be a mild cold rapidly developed into a serious infection, leading to his admission at Atlantis Hospital. Plans were already in place for Nkanu to be flown to the United States on January 7, accompanied by travelling doctors, with a medical team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore prepared to receive him.
As part of preparations for the transfer, doctors requested an MRI scan, a lumbar puncture, and the insertion of a central line. Atlantis Hospital subsequently referred the family to Euracare Hospital, described to them as the best facility to conduct the procedures.
Adichie said that on the morning of January 6, she waited outside the operating theatre as her son was sedated. She recalled seeing medical staff rushing into the theatre, immediately sensing that something had gone wrong. She was later told that Nkanu had been administered an excessive dose of propofol, became unresponsive, and required resuscitation.
What followed, according to her account, was a rapid deterioration: intubation, placement on a ventilator, admission into intensive care, seizures, cardiac arrest, and ultimately, his death just hours later.
The author alleged that her son was not properly monitored after sedation, claiming the anesthesiologist carried him casually without adequate supervision and later switched off his oxygen before transferring him to the ICU. She described the conduct as “criminally negligent,” accusing the anesthesiologist of failing to follow basic medical protocols.
Adichie further claimed that she has since learned of two previous cases involving children allegedly overdosed by the same anesthesiologist, raising serious questions about institutional oversight and accountability at the hospital.
“How can you sedate a sick child and neglect to monitor him?” she asked, adding that her son was unwell but stable and had been expected to travel the following day.
The author said the loss of her child has been devastating, describing it as “living your worst nightmare,” and called for accountability to ensure that such an incident “never happens to another child.”
As of the time of filing this report, Euracare Hospital has not publicly responded to the allegations, and no official statement has been issued by medical regulators.
OYOGist notes that the disclosure has sparked widespread grief, outrage, and renewed public calls for stronger patient safety enforcement and oversight within Nigeria’s private healthcare sector.
