Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a renowned Nigerian author, has alleged medical negligence in the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.
According to Adichie’s statement, Nkanu was taken to the hospital for routine procedures, including an MRI scan and central line insertion, before being flown to the United States for advanced treatment.
However, things took a tragic turn when the anesthesiologist allegedly administered an excessive dose of propofol, causing Nkanu to become unresponsive.
Adichie claimed that her son was not properly monitored after sedation and that the anesthesiologist’s actions were “fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child”.
She also alleged that the anesthesiologist had a history of overdosing children, citing at least two previous cases, and questioned why he was allowed to continue practicing.
Nkanu’s condition rapidly deteriorated, with seizures and cardiac arrest, and he died a few hours later.
Adichie is calling for an investigation into the incident to prevent similar tragedies in the future.