By TOCHUKWU JIMO OBI

The reported death of Nkanu Nnamdi, the 21-month-old son of renowned Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has sent shockwaves across the country and beyond. Beyond the grief of a bereaved family, the incident has reopened an uncomfortable but necessary conversation about the quality of care, accountability, and professionalism in Nigeria’s healthcare system, both private and public.

According to the family, the death of the toddler was not just tragic but avoidable. Adichie has accused a Lagos-based private facility, Euracare Hospital, of negligence in the handling of her son’s medical condition. These are serious allegations that strike at the heart of trust between patients and healthcare providers.

The family alleges a litany of failures that culminated in the child’s death. These include claims that the toddler was denied oxygen, given excessive sedation that allegedly led to cardiac arrest, left unattended by medical staff, and transported in a manner said to be inconsistent with standard medical practice. If proven, such actions would represent grave departures from basic paediatric and emergency care protocols.

Euracare Hospital, for its part, has expressed deep sympathy to the family over the loss of the child but firmly denied any improper care. The hospital maintains that its treatment of the patient was in line with international standards. As with many such cases in Nigeria, the truth may only emerge through thorough, independent investigation rather than public statements and counter-statements.

What makes this case particularly disturbing is that it mirrors the daily experiences of countless Nigerians whose stories never make the headlines. In both private and public hospitals, patients are frequently subjected to unprofessional conduct, poor communication, and substandard care, often with devastating consequences.

The situation Is even more dire in many government-owned hospitals. Overcrowding, understaffing, weak oversight, and a culture of impunity mean that patients often have no option but to endure whatever treatment they receive, without explanation or the opportunity to question decisions that affect their lives.

Negligence and avoidable mistakes by medical professionals are not minor lapses; they can and do lead to death. For this reason, such errors must be prevented at all costs. Professional standards, continuous training, and strict adherence to clinical guidelines are not optional extras but essential safeguards.

This is where leadership and regulation must come to the fore. The Minister of Health and state commissioners for health should, as a matter of urgency, ensure that medical directors in both public and private hospitals actively monitor clinical practices. Hospital leadership cannot remain confined to offices issuing unsupervised directives while unsafe practices persist on the wards.

This death is one too many and must not be swept under the carpet. Whether in a high-end private facility or a struggling public hospital, negligence and poor practices must no longer be tolerated. Nigeria’s healthcare system owes its citizens more than sympathy after tragedy; it owes them safe, competent, and accountable care.

•Tochukwu Jimo Obi, a public affairs commentator writes from Obosi, Anambra state.

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