Solicitors representing renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Adichie, have issued a strongly worded pre-action notice to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos concerning the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi.
This follows the Lagos State Government’s confirmation of the suspension of the anaesthesiologist at the clinic while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death continue.
In a legal notice dated January 10, 2026, the solicitors for Chimamanda and her partner, Dr. Ivara Esege, alleged that the hospital, along with its anaesthesiologist and attending medical personnel, failed to uphold the duty of care owed to their son, who passed away in the early hours of January 7, 2026.
The notice was filed by PINHEIRO LP and signed by the founding partner, Prof. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN).
According to the notice, the child was referred to the hospital on January 6, 2026, from Atlantis Pediatric Hospital for various diagnostic and preparatory procedures, including an echocardiogram, a brain MRI, the insertion of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line), and a lumbar puncture.
These procedures were reportedly part of preparations for an imminent medical evacuation to the United States, where a specialist medical team was supposed to be ready to receive him.
The solicitors stated that intravenous sedation was administered using propofol.
However, while being transferred to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory following the MRI procedure, the child reportedly experienced sudden and severe complications.
Despite being under sedation, he was transferred between clinical areas under conditions that raised “serious and substantive concerns” regarding compliance with patient safety protocols.
He was later pronounced dead in the early hours of January 7, 2026.
The legal notice details several alleged failures in paediatric anaesthetic and procedural care.
These include questions about the appropriateness and cumulative dosing of propofol in a critically ill child, insufficient airway protection during deep sedation, and a claimed failure to ensure continuous physiological monitoring.
The parents further asserted that their son was transferred without supplemental oxygen, adequate monitoring, or sufficient accompanying medical personnel.
Concerns were also raised regarding the availability of basic resuscitation equipment, delayed recognition and management of respiratory or cardiovascular issues, and an overall failure to adhere to established paediatric anaesthesia, patient transfer, and safety protocols.
Another significant grievance highlighted was the hospital’s alleged failure to adequately disclose the risks and potential side effects of propofol and other anaesthetic agents, undermining the legal requirement for informed consent.
The solicitors argue that these alleged failures constitute prima facie breaches of the duty of care and make the hospital and all involved medical personnel liable for medical negligence resulting in the child’s death.
As part of their next legal steps, the parents demanded certified copies of all medical records relating to their son’s treatment within seven days of receiving the notice.
The requested documentation includes admission notes, consent forms, pre-anaesthetic assessments, anaesthetic charts, drug administration records, monitoring logs, procedural notes, nursing observations, ICU records, incident reports, and the identities of all medical staff involved.
Additionally, the demand encompasses internal reviews, safety logs from the MRI suite, and any other documents pertinent to the child’s care.
The hospital was formally notified to preserve all relevant evidence, whether physical or electronic.
This includes CCTV footage from procedure rooms and corridors, electronic monitoring data, pharmacy and drug inventory records, crash cart and emergency equipment logs, as well as internal communications and any morbidity and mortality reviews.
The solicitors cautioned that “any destruction, alteration, or loss of such evidence after receipt of this letter shall be regarded as suppression or concealment of evidence and obstruction of the course of justice, and will be relied upon accordingly, with attendant legal consequences.”
The letter concluded with a warning that failure or refusal by the hospital to comply with the demands within the specified timeframe would compel the parents to pursue all available legal, regulatory, and judicial remedies against the hospital and all medical personnel involved.
Doctor Suspended
Euracare Hospital stated in a Saturday announcement that it had initiated “a detailed investigation” into the incident in accordance with its clinical governance standards and best practices, committing to engage transparently and responsibly with all relevant clinical and regulatory processes.
Similarly, the Lagos State Government on Saturday announced that it had commenced an investigation into the incident, promising to apply the full weight of the law.
Providing an update on Sunday, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, told *The PUNCH* in a phone interview that the doctor involved in the child’s procedure had been suspended by the hospital’s management, noting that the hospital was cooperating with the government in the investigation.
Ogunyemi stated, “It’s an active investigation. We began yesterday (Saturday). We’ve been on-site (at the clinic), and I can assure you it’s ongoing. The hospital itself is conducting its internal investigation, and as far as we know, the anaesthesiologist involved has been suspended.”
She continued, “We will carry out our normal investigation. This is our standard procedure; unless we are informed, we can’t act. People report, and we investigate.”
“This matter has received media attention; consequently, we are making statements. The Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency is designed for such situations.
“It’s unfortunate that this has become public given her status as a prominent figure. We’re doing our best, and the hospital is also conducting its internal investigation. As far as I know, they have suspended the involved doctor.
“They are scheduled to meet with us tomorrow (Monday) for ongoing interviews, and we hope to make progress. As we stated, we will be transparent and engage experts as well. There’s a protocol we adhere to,” the SA informed our correspondent.
**Family Doctor Protests**
Dr. Anthea Nwandu, the family doctor and the deceased’s aunt, criticized the Euracare hospital management for its statement regarding the circumstances of Nnamdi’s death.
While the hospital emphasized that it followed standard procedures, Dr. Nwandu disagreed in a statement available to journalists on Sunday.
The hospital claimed that the deceased, critically ill, was referred to Euracare for “specific diagnostic procedures” after spending more than a week receiving treatment at two paediatric facilities.
The hospital further stated that upon arrival, its medical team immediately provided care in accordance with established clinical protocols and internationally accepted medical standards, including the administration of sedation when clinically warranted.
It added that it coordinated with external medical teams recommended by the family and ensured that all required clinical support was available throughout the care period.
“Despite these concerted efforts, the patient unfortunately passed away less than 24 hours after arriving at our facility,” it stated.
However, Nwandu, a dual board-certified Internal Medicine physician with three decades of global clinical experience in Nigeria and the United States, refuted the claim that the child had been treated at two clinics before arriving at Euracare.
“This is false. He was in one hospital prior to coming to Euracare for the procedures,” she asserted.
She continued that international standards mandate that “a child on oxygen, who is given sedation, must have continuous oxygen therapy. Did Euracare ensure this? No. They verbally confirmed this to me when I questioned the doctors.
“International standards require continuous monitoring of oxygen levels in the blood. Did Euracare do this? No.
“International standards demand ongoing monitoring of pulse and respiration. Did Euracare do this? No.
“International standards dictate that when transferring a child post-sedation, the child must be accompanied by resuscitative equipment due to the risk of anaesthesia-induced cessation of breathing. This can easily be accomplished with a basic ambu bag. Did Euracare do this? No.”
Nwandu contended that the lack of monitoring made it impossible to accurately assess when the child ceased breathing or how long he remained pulseless before efforts were made to resuscitate him.
“Is it standard practice for an anaesthesiologist to carry a sedated child on his shoulder, unable to visually monitor him, while insisting he would be alone in the elevator with the child? No. To move the child to the ICU, the anaesthesiologist disconnected his oxygen and carried him on his shoulder. Is that acceptable practice? No.”
Nwandu noted that the child had been medically stable and was scheduled for a medical evacuation flight to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore when the alleged negligence occurred.
Outrage erupted on social media after the popular writer publicly accused Euracare Multispecialist Hospital in Lagos of negligence leading to her son’s death.
Adichie stated that her son, who was set to be flown abroad for treatment, initially presented with what was thought to be a cold but evolved into “a very serious infection.”
She mentioned that upon arriving at the hospital on Tuesday, they were informed that her son would need sedation to prevent movement during the MRI and central line procedures.
However, she alleged that her son was not adequately monitored after receiving an “excessive dose of propofol” from the hospital’s anaesthesiologist.
According to her, the situation quickly deteriorated, resulting in loss of responsiveness, seizures, and cardiac arrest, ultimately leading to his death on Wednesday.
