By Desire Emmanuel
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Olisa Agbakoba, has decried what he described as a significant systemic breakdown in how healthcare is regulated in Nigeria.
He added that he had handled over 50 cases of medical malpractice within 20 years in his legal profession, saying the situation is worrisome.
Agbakoba said these in a post on his X handle in an apparent reaction to the death of the 21-month-old son of the author, Chimamanda Adichie, which was alleged to be as a result of medical negligence.
The son of Chimamanda, Nkanu, died at a Lagos hospital and following his death, his family accused the hospital of negligence.
According to Agbakoba, however, the situation of carelessness and negligence on the part of medical personnel has become “a national emergency,” as he added that staying silent is no longer an option.
He said: “As a medical negligence legal specialist, I must express grave concern about the recurring incidence of absolutely preventable deaths resulting from medical negligence by health practitioners across Nigeria. The recent tragic loss of Nkanu Nnamdi, one of the twin sons of renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, has once again brought this critical national crisis to the forefront of public consciousness.
“As my professional focus over the last 20 years has been medical malpractice, having been involved in over 50 cases, this unfortunate incident is yet another example of the unacceptable state of incompetence in some Nigerian hospitals.
“I am, quite honestly, not shocked that such a simple procedure at an acclaimed, reputable hospital has ended so terribly. Propofol, which was reportedly administered to Nkanu, requires exceptional care due to its potential for cardio-respiratory failure. An overdose can be fatal, and there appears to be a strong possibility of overdose in this case.
“This issue is deeply personal to me. I was misdiagnosed for an ailment that could have had serious consequences. My brother almost died due to an operation performed by a physician who presented himself as a surgeon.
“The cases of Peju Ugboma and numerous other Nigerians—including a woman who lost both kidneys following negligent surgery; a mother who died from haemorrhagic shock after childbirth due to delayed response; a 12-year-old whose intestine reportedly went “missing” during treatment; a doctor who was imprisoned for improperly setting a fracture without X-ray; and an elderly woman who died after being mistakenly given a paralysing injection during a routine visit—demonstrate the scale of this crisis.
“These are not isolated incidents but symptoms of a systemic crisis demanding urgent intervention.
“I commiserate with all Nigerians who have been victims of medical negligence and with families who continue to suffer the devastating consequences of a broken healthcare regulatory system.
“The Chimamanda case has brought this national emergency further into public focus, but it represents only the visible tip of a much larger crisis affecting countless Nigerian families. I continue to speak out as loudly as I can that the state of medical care in Nigeria has reached a critical point, requiring emergency action.”
