Agbakoba Raises Alarm Over Medical Negligence Following Death of Chimamanda Adichie’s Son
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and medical malpractice specialist, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has expressed grave concern over what he described as a “national emergency” of preventable deaths caused by medical negligence in Nigerian hospitals.
His statement follows the tragic death of Nkanu Nnamdi, one of the twin sons of award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, at a prominent Lagos hospital under controversial circumstances.
Agbakoba, Senior Partner and Head of Medical Malpractice at Olisa Agbakoba Legal, said the incident highlights the systemic failures in Nigeria’s healthcare system. He noted that the reported administration of Propofol, a drug requiring exceptional care due to risks of cardio-respiratory failure, may have been mishandled.
“I am not shocked that such a simple procedure at an acclaimed hospital has ended so terribly. There appears to be a strong possibility of overdose in this case,” Agbakoba stated.
Agbakoba commended the Lagos State Government for promptly initiating an investigation and praised Euracare Hospital for agreeing to cooperate. However, he stressed that inquiries must be “genuinely independent and transparent,” warning that medical records are sometimes altered to evade accountability.
Drawing from his 20 years of experience in medical malpractice litigation, Agbakoba recounted numerous cases of negligence, including: the death of Peju Ugboma after a botched surgery; a woman who lost both kidneys following negligent treatment; a mother who died from haemorrhagic shock after childbirth due to delayed response; a 12-year-old whose intestine reportedly went missing during treatment; an elderly woman mistakenly given a paralysing injection during a routine visit.
“These are not isolated incidents but symptoms of a systemic crisis demanding urgent intervention,” he said, adding that his practice is currently handling 25 active cases of medical negligence.
Agbakoba blamed the collapse of Nigeria’s healthcare oversight system for the recurring tragedies due to regulatory failure. He noted that the once robust supervisory structure led by Chief Medical Officers and Health Inspectors no longer exists, leaving hospitals to operate with “alarming impunity.”
He criticised the over-centralisation of health governance under the Federal Ministry of Health, arguing that Ministers and Commissioners have conflated policy-making with regulatory enforcement.
To address the crisis, Agbakoba called for:
1. Establishment of an independent Health Regulatory Authority with inspection and enforcement powers.
2. Reinstitution of the Office of Chief Medical Officer at federal and state levels.
3. Mandatory registration and periodic inspection of all health facilities.
4. Independent mechanisms to preserve medical records and prevent tampering.
5. Clear separation of policy formulation from regulatory enforcement.
6. Comprehensive legislative reform to modernise Nigeria’s health laws.
Agbakoba concluded by commiserating with families affected by medical negligence, stressing that the death of Chimamanda Adichie’s son is “only the visible tip of a much larger crisis.”
“The time for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s health system is long overdue. We cannot continue to lose precious lives to preventable medical errors whilst the regulatory framework remains in shambles. This is a matter of national emergency that demands immediate legislative and executive action,” he declared.
