The death of the 21-month-old son of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband Dr. Ivara Esege, has led to legal action against Euracare Multispecialist Hospital in Lagos. On January 10, 2026, the family served the hospital with a formal legal notice following the child’s death in the early hours of January 7, intensifying public debate about medical negligence and patient safety in Nigerian healthcare.
The legal notice, sent through the law firm of Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, details the family’s allegations of serious breaches in duty of care by Euracare Hospital and its staff. According to the family’s account, Nkanu had been admitted to Atlantis Hospital for a serious infection on January 6, then transferred to Euracare for preparatory procedures: an MRI, lumbar puncture, and central line insertion before a planned medical evacuation to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States.
In her personal statement, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie described what she says were critical failures in her son’s care, including an overdose of propofol, a powerful sedative, administered by the anesthesiologist. She alleges there was inadequate monitoring after sedation and describes the anesthesiologist’s conduct as “criminally negligent” and “fatally casual.” Her account recalls the anesthesiologist allegedly carrying the sedated child on his shoulder without proper oxygen or monitoring equipment, after which Nkanu became unresponsive, experienced seizures, and suffered a fatal cardiac arrest. The legal notice demands all certified medical records within seven days and warns against any destruction of evidence.
She said, “My son would be alive today if not for an incident at Euracare Hospital on January 6th… The anesthesiologist was CRIMINALLY negligent. He was fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child. No proper protocol was followed.”
Euracare Multispecialist Hospital has denied wrongdoing, stating that the patient was already “critically ill” upon referral to their facility. The hospital maintains that all care provided followed established international clinical protocols and patient safety standards. While expressing sympathy for the family’s loss, Euracare has launched an internal investigation and pledged full cooperation with regulatory bodies.
The Lagos State Government has also stepped in, directing the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) to conduct a comprehensive investigation. Working with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), this inquiry will examine whether clinical protocols were followed, assess staff conduct, and review patient safety standards at Euracare.
