Expert calls for multidisciplinary panel in Chimamanda’s son inquest

A consultant clinical pharmacist and Chief Executive Officer of Hugeworth Pharmacy, Pharmacist Adebola Lawal, has petitioned the Lagos State Government, warning that the ongoing inquest into the death of Chimamanda Adichie’s son risks being compromised if pharmacists and nurses are excluded from the investigative panel.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Lagos, Lawal commended the state government for instituting the inquest, describing it as a commendable step that reflects a commitment to justice and accountability. However, he cautioned that the credibility and effectiveness of the process would be undermined if the panel remains dominated by a single professional group.

According to him, cases involving drug therapy, medication use, administration, monitoring, and clinical decision-making require broad, multidisciplinary expertise. “Any inquiry that limits itself to one professional group, especially in a case where medication issues are central, risks becoming superficial, biased, and ultimately ineffective,” Lawal said. He argued that excluding pharmacists and nurses amounts to “investigating drugs without drug experts,” noting that such an approach has contributed significantly to systemic weaknesses in Nigeria’s healthcare sector. “Nigeria’s healthcare system has suffered greatly from this culture, and the public is watching closely,” he added.

Lawal stressed that the inquest goes beyond a single tragic death, describing it as a test of institutional integrity. He urged the Lagos State Government to demonstrate that justice is neither selective nor cosmetic. “Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done thoroughly and competently,” he said. He further warned that failure to broaden the panel’s composition could reduce the inquest to a symbolic exercise, with no meaningful outcome for the bereaved family or for Nigeria’s healthcare system as a whole.

Speaking more broadly on the rising cases of medical negligence in the country, Lawal called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action. He maintained that until pharmacists and nurses are fully integrated into clinical care, health policy formulation, and leadership, Nigeria would continue to experience preventable medication errors that cost innocent lives.