Prominent Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has formally accused Euracare Hospital in Lagos of obstructing a coronial inquest into the January death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu.
The inquest, scheduled to begin in April, faces legal challenges from the hospital, which has petitioned Nigeria's Federal High Court to block the inquiry. Adichie asserts that Euracare has "stalled and muddied" the process, seeking to prevent transparency regarding her child's passing.
Nkanu died on January 7 after undergoing diagnostic tests, including an MRI and lumbar puncture, at Euracare. He had been referred there for a pre-flight inspection before a planned transfer to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for further treatment.
Adichie’s legal team alleges medical negligence, claiming medics denied Nkanu oxygen and administered excessive sedation, leading to cardiac arrest. They dispute the hospital’s claim that bacterial meningitis caused the death, citing a lack of supporting evidence on the death certificate.
While the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria previously identified possible negligence, Euracare denies wrongdoing, maintaining its care met international standards. The hospital has expressed sympathy but provided incomplete medical records, which Adichie described as inaccurate and unprofessional.
This marks Adichie’s first public statement since the loss of the toddler, born via surrogate in 2024. She describes the situation as a denial of peace during her grief, stating, "Euracare Hospital has robbed me even of that."