Health
Gateways to graveyards – The Nation Newspaper
The social media space in Nigeria last week took a breather from the political fireworks characteristic of some of the platforms, buzzing with tales of how hospitals designed to save lives have turned into graveyards with the negligence and avarice of some medical doctors. The sad narratives followed the death of Nkanu, a 21-month-old son of renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The unsavoury development was compounded by a disturbing report on how a mother of five died in Kano after a surgery in which a surgeon forgot scissors in her body. There are concerns that these ugly developments could spike medical tourism abroad and skyrocket demands for foreign exchange, INNOCENT DURU reports.
• Tragic tales of doctors’ negligence turning hospitals into morgues
• Fashion entrepreneur Toyin Lawani narrates ordeal at hospital where Chimamanda’s son died
• ‘How doctors made wrong diagnosis, forced us to have surgeries’
The world stood still for Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie last week. Not for her literary ingenuity but the loss of her son, which many believe will remain indelible in her heart. Sadly, Chimamanda expressed doubts over her ability to survive the unfortunate incident.
In a message chronicling how her son died, the Anambra born author said she had come to Lagos for Christmas when Nkanu had “what we first thought was just a cold but soon turned into a very serious infection, and he was admitted to Atlantis Hospital.”
According to her, Nkanu was to travel to the US the next day (January 7), accompanied by travelling doctors.
She said: “A team at John Hopkins was waiting to receive him in Baltimore. The Hopkins team had asked for a lumbar puncture test and an MRI. The Nigerian team had also decided to put in a ‘central line’ (used to administer iv medications) in preparation for Nkanu’s flight.
“Atlantis Hospital referred us to Euracare Hospital, which was said to be the best place to have the procedures done.”
In the morning of the 6th, she said, “we left Atlantis Hospital for Euracare, Nkanu carried in his father’s arms.
“We were told he would need to be sedated to prevent him from moving during the MRI and the ‘central line’ procedure.
“I was waiting just outside the theater. I saw people, including Dr M, rushing into the theater, and immediately knew something had happened.”
She said a short time later, a medical official she referred to as Dr M came out and “told me Nkanu had been given too much propofol by the anesthesiologist, had become unresponsive and was quickly resuscitated.
“But suddenly, Nkanu was on a ventilator. He was intubated and placed in the ICU.
“The next thing I heard was that he had seizures. Cardiac arrest.
“All these had never happened before.
“Some hours later, Nkanu was gone
“It turns out that Nkanu was NEVER monitored after being given too much propofol.
“The anesthesiologist had just casually carried Nkanu on his shoulder to the theater, so nobody knows when exactly Nkanu became unresponsive.
“How can you sedate a sick child and neglect to monitor him?, she asked rhetorically, adding
“Later, after the ‘central line’ procedure, the anesthesiologist casually switched off Nkanu’s oxygen and again decided to carry him on his shoulder to the ICU!
“The anesthesiologist was criminalky negligent. He was fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child.
“No proper protocol was followed.”
In a tone laced with palpable emotions,Chimamanda said: “We brought in a child who was unwell but stable and scheduled to travel the next day. We came to conduct basic procedures. And suddenly, our beautiful little boy was gone forever.
“It is like living your worst nightmare. I will never survive the loss of my child.
“We have now heard about two previous cases of this same anesthesiologist overdosing children. Why did Euracare allow him to keep working?
“This must never happen to another child.”
Nkanu’s death stirred a lot of reactions and counter reactions from the bereaved, the hospital, medical profession, legal practitioners and disturbed members of the society.
Following Chimamanda’s loss, celebrity fashion entrepreneur, Toyin Lawani has also revealed that her medical ordeal began with a spine surgery implant at the Euracare Hospital. In an Instagram post, Lawani recounted severe medical negligence that left her with long-term, life-altering health complications.
She said: “Every time I say that if you have health issues in Nigeria and you make it out alive, just thank your stars, people feel the comment is meant to berate Nigerian hospitals.
“I saw one foolish person saying trash about me last week, all because I was speaking from experience. I just ignored it. You spend close to ₦100 million on hospital bills and they still mismanage your health.
“They thought I was joking when I said I was going to sue, but I said they should just wait until I am stronger.
“Most of these hospitals just put on a front with white staff, and the aftercare is terrible. I am still suffering the consequences of Euracare right now.
“One issue takes you there, and another issue sends you home.
“I kept asking myself why I did my spine surgery implant in Nigeria. Till today, I still cannot speak well or walk well. I had complications and started bleeding in my lungs.
“I had to be taken back into the theatre the next day to be re-operated on.”
Describing a night when her heart “ceased” after being given injections, requiring urgent intervention, she said that despite undergoing three back-to-back surgeries at Euracare, her condition deteriorated, with severe lung infections and breathing difficulties.
She said the situation became so dire that she was airlifted to the United Kingdom for emergency care. UK doctors, she said, discovered a significant lung infection and performed another surgery immediately.
“Before I knew it, I stopped breathing. They had to puncture my lungs, and they damaged my vocal cords,” she said.
“I remember a night when I was given two injections and my heart seized. I could not breathe. @Prettydammy2 and @Segun_Wealth witnessed it; her husband had to threaten them.
“The trauma I faced in that hospital for months is something I still cannot get over till date. I am still in and out of the hospital till now because of this.
“They do not even care if there is mismanagement; you will still pay. I lost the use of my two legs after I was sent home and ended up back in that hospital again.
“I had to call the ENT doctor in the UK. He then told them to operate for the third time to remove the tracheotomy tube from my lungs and see if I could breathe on my own without it.
“After that surgery, I was on the next flight to the UK with my family the following day.
“When I got here. The doctors told me I had to undergo another surgery and said I had an infection in my lungs.
“When they showed me the large lumps they removed afterward, I was in shock.
“After three back-to-back surgeries in the same hospital, I still had to undergo another one when I got to the UK. It is just so shameful.
“This statement is not said enough: if you have health issues in Nigeria and you have the money, run.”
In another post, she said: “Part 2 of what my eyes saw at Euracare. I spent two months there in total and another month in a rehabilitation centre because I lost the use of my hands and legs.
“I also developed bedsores. I had to relearn how to walk, speak, and bathe myself. I am still undergoing speech therapy till today.”
She added: “When I tell people I am dealing with trauma, they do not understand me at all.
“This traumatic experience completely changed my entire life—how I see things and even people.
“I appreciate life more now and tend to let go of so many things, because your life can change in a second.
“Nigeria’s healthcare system needs regulation. Anybody from abroad can come with money, open a hospital in Nigeria as a business, and do as they wish.
“They use international standards to lure clients.
“I have proof that I came out of surgery without a hole in my lungs, and if Segun_Wealth had not raised the alarm about my swollen neck, they still would not have noticed.
“It was after that I realised I was having difficulty breathing. Till today, I still need a walking stick to support myself.
“The story of that hospital is long. I first had to save my life.
“I promised them that when I am well and sound, they will hear from me.
“Seeing @chimamanda_adichie’s story today triggered me to speak up so that many people can be saved.
“When I said almost ₦100 million, I was not joking. I still have my receipts from Euracare.
“Euracare is like a business center. Most of the doctors there are not even permanent staff; they come to perform surgeries and then leave.”
Meanwhile, Euracare has not been pronounced guilty by any court or committee since the allegations were made. The hospital has commiserated with the bereaved family and also absolved its officials of negligence in carrying out their duties.
The hospital had also yet to react to allegations made by Toyin Lawani.
Chimamanda Adichie serves hospital legal notice over son’s death
Smarting from the pain caused by the irreparable loss, Chimamanda served a formal legal notice on Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, Lagos, alleging medical negligence and professional impropriety in connection with the death of her son.
The development came asovernor State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu ordered an official probe into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death, following widespread public concern over the incident.
While the management of the hospital made frantic efforts to deny any complicity in the death of the boy, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Head of Medical Malpractice, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), said the ordeal faced by Chimamanda and her family represents only a tip of a much larger crisis of medical negligence affecting countless Nigerian families.
The brickbats had yet to settle when the news broke of a mother of five who died from complications arising from a doctor leaving a pair of scissors in her body after surgery.
The fresh incident rubbished whatever defence people were trying to make for medical practice in the country and raised questions about the training of doctors, expertise of the practitioners and quality of equipment used.
The incidents evoked sad memories, forcing people both online and offline to recount death and near-death experiences at the hands of medical practitioners in the country, especially the private hospitals which they accused of putting money above the lives of patients.
Woman dies after surgery
Less than one week after the demise of Chimamanda’s son, came the news of one Aishatu Umar, who died four months after surgeons left a pair of scissors inside her stomach during a surgical procedure at the Abubakar Imam Urology Center, a government-owned health facility in Kano State.
The mother of five passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2026 during a corrective surgery to remove the scissors.
A relative of the deceased, Abubakar Mohammed, said Aishatu died after enduring months of severe abdominal pain following a surgical procedure carried out at the hospital about four months ago.
According to Mohammed, the surgery was performed in September, after which Aishatu reportedly began experiencing persistent and worsening abdominal pain.
He alleged that despite repeated visits to the hospital, she was only given pain-relief medication without further investigations.
He explained that medical tests and scans were eventually conducted just days ago, revealing that a pair of scissors had allegedly been left inside her body during the initial surgery.
“She underwent surgery at the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre in September. After that, she complained of severe abdominal pain for months.
“Each time she returned to the hospital, she was given painkillers,” Mohammed said.
“It was only two days ago that scans were carried out, and that was when doctors discovered that scissors had been forgotten inside her body.
“Plans were made for another surgery, but she passed away before it could be done,” he added.
Mohammed described the incident as a clear case of negligence and called on the Kano State Government and relevant health regulatory authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure justice for the deceased.
“How can medical professionals forget a pair of scissors inside a patient’s body?
“This is unacceptable and damages the integrity of the health sector,” he said.
Reacting to the incident, the Kano State Hospitals Management Board said it had ordered an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the allegation to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding Aishatu’s death.
The Kano State Hospitals Management Board has, however, confirmed that the death of Aishatu Umar, a mother of five, was linked to medical negligence at the Abubakar Imam Urology Centre, a government-owned health facility in Kano.
In a statement, the Board’s Public Relations Officer, Samira Suleiman, said a preliminary investigation ordered by the Executive Secretary, Dr Mansur Mudi Nagoda, revealed that surgical scissors were inadvertently left inside the patient’s body following a surgical procedure.
Following the findings, the Board announced the immediate suspension of three medical personnel directly involved in the case from clinical duties.
Prior to the above incidents, we had reported about how a young pregnant mother died in a controversial situation undergoing surgical operations to give birth to her first child.
The report revealed how the hospital where the deceased, Anita Nathaniel was admitted insisted she must give birth through CS in spite of a scan showing all was well with her showing the ability to deliver naturally. Nathaniel, Anita’s husband also refused, stressing that he and his wife wanted her to have a normal vaginal delivery.
After much pressure, the husband caved in, and paid N150,000 of a N300,000 surgical bill.
“After making the payment, I was assured that the surgeon would join them shortly. But my wife had to wait for well over eight hours before the surgeon arrived,” said Nathaniel.
The caesarean section (CS) was eventually done and Anita was gone afterwards.
Medical experts argued that the anaesthesia failed to maintain the necessary depth of unconsciousness, thus causing Anita to wake and feel intense pain as the surgeon cut into her abdomen and manipulated her internal organs.
Her body’s natural response to such extreme pain, argued a consultant clinical anesthesiologist, Olumide Francis, was to “activate the fight or flight mechanism, increasing her heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormone levels.
“However, in a patient weakened by childbirth, this physiological response can be dangerous.”
Netizens relive ordeal with doctors
The death of Chimamanda’s son triggered chains of reactions on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter) as netizens took turns to relive their ordeal at the hands of hospitals and doctors who made wrong prescriptions and insisted on surgeries that were at the end of the day found to be needless.
Narrating his experience, Dr Joe Abbah said: “A private hospital in Abuja said I needed surgery and was trying to pressure me to do it with them immediately.
“I wasn’t sure and my family wasn’t comfortable. My Madam reminded me that in the UK, there is a mandatory cooling off period of 14 days between when you are told that you need surgery and when you actually have it, unless it’s a life-threatening emergency.
“The cooling off period enables you to decide whether you want to go ahead with it or not.
“The surgeon asked me whether I was afraid of him and I said no, it’s the anaesthetist I am afraid of. He asked why and I said that I had heard too many stories.
“To the obvious disappointment of his clinic manager who had already started to process HMO approvals, I decided to get other opinions.
“Getting a second opinion elsewhere and a third opinion abroad, it turned out that I didn’t need any surgery at all.”
Reacting to Abbah’s post, Ijeoma Ekenechukwu @MappingReveals, said: “Hmm! I hope it is not the same doctor we have used. Had similar experience in Abuja, got a second opinion in Lagos and they say nothing.
“The Abuja kept pressuring me with text and emails to operate, and this was linked to a job role. I kept giving excuses to delay him, travelled to UK, had another opinion and nothing again for surgery.
“Thinking back, this is how they would have operated for nothing.”
Also recounting a friend’s experience, Stress Manager @eakpe said: “One hospital in Abuja told a friend that he needed to undergo heart surgery and was pressuring him to do it immediately or it could be too late.
“He wasn’t comfortable with the whole thing, so he decided to see his doctor in the UK, only to be told that he had an ulcer and that the chest pain he was feeling was from acid reflux.
“He returned to the hospital in anger and showed them his diagnosis from the UK, and they began to beg him.
“I have said this several times that most private hospitals are more concerned with profit than with the welfare of the patient.”
On his part, Musa Jidda said: “Sometime in 2011, one woman battled a mysterious illness for months. Local hospital here in Nigeria prescribed meds that only made it worse.
She flew to Egypt for a second opinion. The doctor shocked her: “it’s just a reaction to the drugs you’ve been taking.” He simply told her to STOP everything.
In just one week, she began recovering. Today? She’s completely healed!
The crue1est sc@m in Nigerian healthcare: Some private hospitals know a patient is dying… yet they invent rare diseases you’ve never heard of, push expensive, useless drugs, and even force needless surgeries, all to milk every last kobo from grieving families.”
Also sharing a friend’s experience, Jerry P @Markusjerryp, said: “This happened to a friend of mine. He was diagnosed with a kidney-related issue and he called me for help. I went to the hospital that night.
“The doctor insisted on an MRI scan, which I paid for at about ₦155,000, and prescribed antibiotics costing ₦93,000, which I also paid for.
“After reviewing the MRI results, the doctor insisted that my friend needed surgery within 24 hours, at a cost of ₦3.5 million.
“At that point, common sense kicked in. I forwarded the MRI results to three doctors, two consultants in Nigeria and one in the United States. All of them reviewed the report and said it showed only minor kidney stones.
“They advised that he should drink plenty of water. They also said the antibiotics prescribed were unnecessarily strong and recommended stopping them and using a much cheaper alternative.
“I advised my friend to leave the hospital and focus on drinking plenty of water as advised. Two years later, he is perfectly fine.”
A netizen who goes by the name The Adeyemi @DrYemiOvGynea said: “Truth is a lot of unnecessary surgeries happen in private hospitals in Nigeria. Doing surgeries pay more and that’s how they get money to stay afloat.
“These even happen in the posh ones. There have been reports of people still having their appendices intact then they have in fact had appendicectomies done in private hospitals. These things go unchecked.
“Regarding the UK you mentioned, you wouldn’t even have the surgery done in weeks or months so far it is elective, giving you opportunity to re-consider your options.
“Most cases in medicine have got more than one options if not emergencies.”
Nigerians, according to a report by Nairametrics, spend between $1.6 billion and $2 billion each year on medical treatment abroad, putting pressure on the economy and exposing gaps in the local health system, according to data from healthcare investment agencies.
For decades, the report said, the search for medical treatment abroad placed a heavy burden on Nigeria’s economy and exposed long-standing weaknesses in its local healthcare infrastructure.
The disturbing ordeal of the citizens, which are clear loss of trust in the country’s healthcare, could worsen the quest for medical treatment abroad and consequently pile more pressure on the economy.
Chimamanda’s lawyers file suit against hospital
In a legal notice dated January 10, 2026, and issued by a law firm led by Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Adichie and her partner, Dr. Ivara Esege, accused the hospital, its anaesthesiologist, and other attending medical personnel of breaching the duty of care owed to their son, who died in the early hours of January 7, 2026.
According to the notice, the child, born on March 25, 2024, was referred to Euracare on January 6, 2026, from Atlantis Pediatric Hospital for diagnostic and preparatory procedures ahead of an emergency medical evacuation to the United States, where a specialist medical team was reportedly on standby.
The procedures carried out at Euracare reportedly included an echocardiogram, brain MRI, insertion of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) and a lumbar puncture, during which intravenous sedation using propofol was administered.
The parents alleged that the child developed sudden and severe complications while being transported to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory after the MRI.
The notice claimed that despite being under sedation, the child was moved between clinical areas under conditions that raised serious concerns about compliance with patient safety and paediatric anaesthesia protocols.
The legal notice outlined several alleged lapses, including concerns about the cumulative dosing of propofol in a critically ill child, inadequate airway protection during deep sedation, failure to ensure continuous physiological monitoring, and transfer without supplemental oxygen, adequate monitoring, or sufficient accompanying medical personnel.
Further allegations included the unavailability of basic resuscitation equipment, delayed recognition and management of respiratory or cardiovascular distress, and failure to comply with established paediatric anaesthesia, patient-transfer, and safety standards.
The parents also accused the hospital of failing to adequately disclose the risks and potential side effects of propofol and other anaesthetic agents, thereby undermining the requirement for informed consent.
The solicitors stated that these alleged lapses constitute prima facie breaches of duty of care, rendering the hospital and involved medical personnel liable for medical negligence resulting in the child’s death.
As part of their demands, the parents requested certified copies of all medical records relating to their son’s treatment within seven days. These include admission notes, consent forms, pre-anaesthetic assessments, anaesthetic charts, drug administration records, monitoring logs, nursing observations, ICU records, incident reports, and the identities of all medical staff involved.
They also demanded internal reviews, safety logs from the MRI suite, and all documentation related to the child’s care. Euracare was formally instructed to preserve all physical and electronic evidence, including CCTV footage, electronic monitoring data, pharmacy records, emergency equipment logs, internal communications, and morbidity and mortality reviews.
The solicitors warned that any destruction or alteration of evidence after receipt of the notice would be treated as obstruction of justice and could attract legal consequences.
They further stated that failure to comply with the demands would leave the parents with no option but to pursue all available legal, regulatory, and judicial remedies.
The child’s aunt, Dr. Anthea Esege Nwandu, a dual board-certified internal medicine physician with over 30 years of clinical experience in Nigeria and the United States, has challenged Euracare’s public statement on January 10, 2026.
In a rebuttal, Nwandu questioned the hospital’s claim that there were inaccuracies in the family’s account of events and alleged that the hospital’s statement contained significant falsehoods.
She disputed Euracare’s assertion that the child had received care at two paediatric centres prior to admission, stating that he was treated at only one hospital before being referred to Euracare for the procedures.
Nwandu further alleged that internationally accepted medical standards were not followed, insisting that a sedated child on oxygen requires continuous oxygen therapy and monitoring of oxygen saturation, pulse, and respiration.
She also claimed that proper resuscitation equipment, such as an ambu bag, was not provided during the child’s transfer within the hospital.
Hospital condoles with family, denies negligence allegations
Euracare Multispecialist Hospital has commiserated with Chimamanda and her family describing the loss as profound and heartbreaking.
In a statement issued by its management, the hospital conveyed its heartfelt condolences to the parents and extended family, noting that the death of a child is an unimaginable tragedy that goes beyond words.
While empathising with the family’s grief, the hospital also addressed what it described as inaccuracies in some reports circulating about the circumstances surrounding the child’s care. Euracare emphasised that it is a reputable medical facility specialising in complex care and staffed by an internationally trained and experienced clinical team.
The statement reads: “We extend our deepest sympathies to Chimamanda Adichie and family on the demise of their son and acknowledge the profound and unimaginable loss they are experiencing during this deeply distressing time. The loss of a child is beyond words, and we offer our most heartfelt condolences to his parents and the entire family.
“We find it necessary, for the record, to clarify that some of the reports currently being circulated contain inaccuracies.
“Our facility is a reputable centre for complex medical care, led by an internationally trained and experienced clinical team.
“The patient, who was critically ill, was referred to our facility for specific diagnostic procedures after receiving treatment for a period of time at two paediatric centres.
“Upon arrival, our medical team immediately provided care in line with established clinical protocols and internationally accepted medical standards, including the administration of sedation where clinically indicated.
“In the course of his care, we worked collaboratively with external medical teams as recommended by his family and ensured that all necessary clinical support was provided.
“Despite these concerted efforts, the patient sadly passed away less than 24 hours after presenting at our facility.
“We have commenced a detailed investigation consistent with our clinical governance standards and best practices.
“We remain committed to engaging transparently and responsibly with all clinical and regulatory processes.
“We recognise that the family is grieving an irreplaceable loss and we shall continue to support them in any way that may bring comfort during this devastating period.
“As medical professionals, we carry the weight of this loss deeply. Our priority remains compassion, patient safety, and the responsible handling of this matter, while respecting the family’s privacy and allowing due process to take its course.
“We continue to hold the family in our thoughts and prayers.”
Agbakoba calls for comprehensive overhaul of health sector
Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Head of Medical Malpractice, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has said the ordeal faced by the family of renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie represents only the tip of a much larger crisis of medical negligence affecting countless Nigerian families.
In a statement calling for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s healthcare system, Agbakoba said the sector has become dangerously overcentralised under the Federal Ministry of Health, leaving states lax in oversight and regulation.
According to him, the recent tragic loss of Nkanu Nnamdi, one of the twin sons of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, has once again drawn national attention to the deep-rooted problems in the country’s health system.
“As my professional focus over the past 20 years has been medical malpractice, during which I have handled over 50 cases, this unfortunate incident is yet another example of the unacceptable level of incompetence in some Nigerian hospitals,” he said.
Agbakoba noted that he was not surprised that a routine procedure at a well-regarded hospital reportedly ended in tragedy.
“Propofol, which was reportedly administered to Nkanu, requires exceptional care because of its potential to cause cardio-respiratory failure.
“An overdose can be fatal, and there appears to be a strong possibility of overdose in this case,” he stated.
He commended the Lagos State Government for its swift move to investigate the incident and Euracare for agreeing to cooperate with investigators, but stressed that the probe must be genuinely independent and transparent.
Sharing personal experiences, Agbakoba disclosed that he was once misdiagnosed with a condition that could have had serious consequences, while his brother nearly lost his life following an operation performed by a doctor who falsely presented himself as a surgeon.
According to him, the root cause of these recurring tragedies lies in the collapse of Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework for healthcare delivery.
“In the past, the health system operated under a strong supervisory structure. Chief Medical Officers and Health Inspectors oversaw critical care, ensured compliance with standards and held practitioners accountable.
“The last Chief Medical Officer of Nigeria was Dr. Samuel Layinka Manuwa,” he said.
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