Solicitors acting for renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Adichie, have written to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Lagos, over the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi.
This comes as the Lagos State Government confirmed the suspension of the anaesthesiologist at the clinic as probes
In a legal notice dated January 10, 2026, solicitors acting for Chimamanda and her partner, Dr Ivara Esege, alleged that the hospital, its anaesthesiologist, and attending medical personnel breached the duty of care owed to their son who died in the early hours of Wednesday Jan 7 2026.
The notice was issued on behalf of the parents by PINHEIRO LP and signed by the founding partner, Prof Kemi Pinheiro (SAN)
The legal notice outlines multiple alleged lapses in paediatric anaesthetic and procedural care.
These include concerns about the appropriateness and cumulative dosing of propofol in a critically ill child, inadequate airway protection during deep sedation, and an alleged failure to ensure continuous physiological monitoring.
The parents further alleged that their son was transferred without supplemental oxygen, without adequate monitoring, and without sufficient accompanying medical personnel.
They also raised concerns over the availability of basic resuscitation equipment, delayed recognition and management of respiratory or cardiovascular compromise, and an overall failure to comply with established paediatric anaesthesia, patient-transfer, and safety protocols.
Family doctor protests
The family doctor and the deceased’s aunt, Dr Anthea Nwandu, faulted the Euracare hospital management over its statement relating to the circumstances of Nnamdi’s death.
While the hospital stressed that it followed standard procedures in its operations, Dr Nwandu,
International standards demand that the child should have continuous monitoring of oxygen levels in his blood. Did Euracare do this? No.
“International standards demand continuous monitoring of pulse and respiration. Did Euracare do this? No.
“International standards demand that when moving the child from one part of the hospital to another, the child must be accompanied by resuscitative equipment in case he stops breathing (a known risk of anaesthesia). This can easily be done with a simple apparatus called an ambu bag. Did Euracare do this? No.”
The aunt claimed that because there was no monitoring, it was impossible to accurately document when the child stopped breathing or how long he was pulseless before resuscitation.
“Is it an international standard for an anaesthesiologist to carry a child post-sedation on his shoulder, unable to visually see the child, with absolutely no monitoring, while insisting that he alone would be in the elevator with the child? No. To transfer the child to the ICU, the anaesthesiologist disconnected his oxygen and again carried him on his shoulder. Is that standard practice? No.”
Nwandu said the child was medically stable and had been booked for a scheduled medical evacuation flight to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore when the alleged negligence occurred.
There was outrage on social media after the popular writer on Saturday accused Euracare Multispecialist Hospital in Lagos of negligence leading to her son’s death.
Adichie said in a statement that her son, who was billed to be flown abroad for treatment, had developed what was initially thought to be a cold but later turned into “a very serious infection.”
She stated that upon arrival at the hospital on Tuesday, they were told her son would need to be sedated to prevent movement during the MRI and central line procedures.
However, she alleged that her son was not properly monitored after being administered an “excessive dose of propofol” by the hospital’s anaesthesiologist.
According to her, the situation quickly deteriorated, leading to loss of responsiveness, seizures, and cardiac arrest, which eventually resulted in his death on Wednesday.
