…As legal team demands answers, records after loss of 21-month-old twin
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, renowned Nigerian author and feminist has taken formal legal steps against Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos, serving the facility with a legal notice alleging medical negligence and professional impropriety in the tragic death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi Adichie-Esege.
Nkanu, one of Adichie’s twin sons, passed away in the early hours of January 7, 2026, following complications during preparatory medical procedures at Euracare. The child had been referred from Atlantis Pediatric Hospital on January 6 for critical diagnostic tests, including an echocardiogram, brain MRI, peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) insertion, and lumbar puncture, aimed at stabilizing him for an emergency medical evacuation to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, United States, where a specialist team awaited.
The legal notice, dated January 10, 2026, and issued by solicitors led by Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, on behalf of Adichie and her partner, Dr. Ivara Esege, accuses the hospital, its attending anaesthesiologist, and other medical personnel of breaching their duty of care.
According to the filing, intravenous sedation using propofol was administered, but during transport from the MRI suite to the cardiac catheterization laboratory, the child experienced sudden and severe complications, including alleged issues with propofol dosing, inadequate airway protection, lack of continuous monitoring, and movement without supplemental oxygen, proper equipment, or sufficient staff.
These lapses, the notice claims, culminated in Nkanu’s untimely death, despite the family’s efforts to secure the best possible care ahead of the planned transfer abroad.Euracare Hospital, shown here in exterior views, has expressed deep sympathy to the family while denying the allegations of negligence and stating that it has launched its own detailed internal investigation.
The legal document demands that Euracare provide certified copies of all related medical records within seven days, including admission notes, anaesthetic charts, drug administration records, monitoring logs, procedural notes, ICU records, and the identities of all involved staff.
Read also: Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital empathizes with Chimamanda Adichie over loss of son
The hospital has also been instructed to preserve all evidence, such as CCTV footage, electronic monitoring data, pharmacy records, and internal communications. Failure to comply or any destruction of evidence, the notice warns, will result in further legal action and all available judicial remedies.
The case has drawn widespread attention, sparking public outrage and renewed scrutiny of private healthcare standards in Nigeria. The Lagos state government has ordered a formal investigation into the allegations, and the Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists has called for specialist involvement in the probe. An anaesthesiologist involved has reportedly been suspended pending inquiries.
Adichie, whose powerful voice has long championed truth, justice, and human dignity through her acclaimed works, now seeks accountability in the most personal of tragedies. As the legal process unfolds, the family’s demand for transparency and answers resonates far beyond the hospital walls, highlighting the urgent need for rigorous patient safety protocols in medical care.
