The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has taken decisive action by suspending three doctors over alleged medical negligence and professional misconduct in the death of Nkanu Adichie-Esege, the 21-month-old son of renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
The suspensions, announced in early March 2026, follow the findings of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel during its 25th session held in Abuja on February 17–18, 2026.
The panel established a prima facie case of negligence in the child’s care, which involved initial treatment at Atlantis Paediatric Hospital and subsequent procedures at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos.
Nkanu died on January 7, 2026, shortly after arriving at Euracare for diagnostic tests and sedation ahead of a planned transfer to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States.
The suspended doctors are:
Dr. Tunde Majekodunmi, Medical Director of Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital.
Dr. Titus Ogundare is an anaesthesiologist at Euracare.
-Dr. Atinuke Uwajeh, Chief Medical Director of Atlantis Paediatric Hospital.
These practitioners are barred from practicing medicine in Nigeria pending the outcome of proceedings before the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.
The panel also identified prima facie cases of professional misconduct against 10 other doctors, while clearing eight others, based on the family’s complaint, affidavits, evidence submissions, and oral testimonies.
The case started in January 2026, when Chimamanda Adichie publicly alleged negligence at Euracare. In messages shared with family and friends, she accused the hospital of administering an excessive dose of the sedative propofol, inadequate monitoring, failure to provide necessary oxygen support, and other lapses that allegedly led to cardiac arrest and the child’s death.
The family served Euracare with a legal notice shortly afterward, demanding accountability.
Euracare has defended its team, describing the suspensions as a “serious breach” and questioning the due process of the MDCN probe.
In earlier statements following the incident, the hospital expressed deep sympathy for the family’s loss while insisting that care was provided in line with international standards for a critically ill child referred from other facilities. It emphasized that a detailed internal investigation was underway and committed to cooperating with regulatory processes.
This development highlights persistent concerns about medical standards, accountability, and patient safety in Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly in high-profile private facilities.
A formal inquest into Nkanu’s death is scheduled to begin on April 14, 2026, at the Coroner’s Court in Yaba Magistrate Court, Lagos, which may provide further clarity on the sequence of events.
Administrator and Writer
