Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie alleges hospital 'obfuscated' over son's death
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie accuses Lagos-based Euracare hospital of obstructing an inquest into the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu, who died in January after treatment at the facility.
- Adichie alleges the hospital has delayed and complicated the inquiry process, even seeking a Federal High Court order to block the inquest, following findings of possible medical negligence by Nigeria's Medical and Dental Council.
- The author claims Euracare denied her son oxygen and administered excessive sedation, leading to cardiac arrest, while the hospital maintains its care met international standards and expresses sympathy over the death.
- Adichie criticizes the hospital for providing incomplete and inaccurate medical records and disputes the cause of death listed as bacterial meningitis, highlighting ongoing tensions over transparency and accountability.
- Nkanu was initially treated at Atlantis Hospital for a mild illness and referred to Euracare for pre-flight tests before planned transfer to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the U.S., but he died on January 7 following diagnostic procedures at Euracare.