Chimamanda Adichie’s Lawyer, Writes Lagos Hospital
Renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has served a formal legal notice on Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Lagos, alleging medical negligence and professional impropriety in connection with the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi Adichie-Esege.
The development comes as Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, ordered an official probe into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death, following widespread public concern over the incident.
In a legal notice dated January 10, 2026, and issued by a law firm led by Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Adichie and her partner, Dr. Ivara Esege, accused the hospital, its anaesthesiologist, and other attending medical personnel of breaching the duty of care owed to their son, who died in the early hours of January 7, 2026.
According to the notice, the child, born on March 25, 2024 was referred to Euracare on January 6, 2026, from Atlantis Pediatric Hospital for diagnostic and preparatory procedures ahead of an emergency medical evacuation to the United States, where a specialist medical team was reportedly on standby.
The procedures carried out at Euracare reportedly included an echocardiogram, brain MRI, insertion of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) and a lumbar puncture, during which intravenous sedation using propofol was administered.
The parents alleged that the child developed sudden and severe complications while being transported to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory after the MRI. The notice claimed that, despite being under sedation, the child was moved between clinical areas under conditions that raised serious concerns about compliance with patient safety and paediatric anaesthesia protocols.
The legal notice outlined several alleged lapses, including concerns about the cumulative dosing of propofol in a critically ill child, inadequate airway protection during deep sedation, failure to ensure continuous physiological monitoring, and transfer without supplemental oxygen, adequate monitoring, or sufficient accompanying medical personnel.
Further allegations included the unavailability of basic resuscitation equipment, delayed recognition and management of respiratory or cardiovascular distress, and failure to comply with established paediatric anaesthesia, patient-transfer, and safety standards.
The parents also accused the hospital of failing to adequately disclose the risks and potential side effects of propofol and other anaesthetic agents, thereby undermining the requirement for informed consent.
The solicitors stated that these alleged lapses constitute prima facie breaches of duty of care, rendering the hospital and involved medical personnel liable for medical negligence resulting in the child’s death.
As part of their demands, the parents requested certified copies of all medical records relating to their son’s treatment within seven days. These include admission notes, consent forms, pre-anaesthetic assessments, anaesthetic charts, drug administration records, monitoring logs, nursing observations, ICU records, incident reports, and the identities of all medical staff involved.
They also demanded internal reviews, safety logs from the MRI suite, and all documentation related to the child’s care. Euracare was formally instructed to preserve all physical and electronic evidence, including CCTV footage, electronic monitoring data, pharmacy records, emergency equipment logs, internal communications, and morbidity and mortality reviews.
The solicitors warned that any destruction or alteration of evidence after receipt of the notice would be treated as obstruction of justice and could attract legal consequences. They further stated that failure to comply with the demands would leave the parents with no option but to pursue all available legal, regulatory, and judicial remedies.
The child’s aunt, Dr. Anthea Esege Nwandu, a dual board-certified internal medicine physician with over 30 years of clinical experience in Nigeria and the United States, has challenged Euracare’s public statement on January 10, 2026.
In a rebuttal, Nwandu questioned the hospital’s claim that there were inaccuracies in the family’s account of events and alleged that the hospital’s statement contained significant falsehoods.
She disputed Euracare’s assertion that the child had received care at two paediatric centres prior to admission, stating that he was treated at only one hospital before being referred to Euracare for the procedures.
Nwandu further alleged that internationally accepted medical standards were not followed, insisting that a sedated child on oxygen requires continuous oxygen therapy and monitoring of oxygen saturation, pulse, and respiration.
She also claimed that proper resuscitation equipment, such as an ambu bag, was not provided during the child’s transfer within the hospital.
Euracare Hospital is yet to issue a further response to the detailed allegations as investigations continue.
Source: The Nation
Email: elora.akpotosevbe@yahoo.com
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