The tragic death of 21-month-old Nkanu Nnamdi has sparked renewed concern within Nigeria’s health sector over patient safety, paediatric sedation practices, and accountability in private hospitals.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the celebrated author from Nigeria, along with her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, have levelled an accusation of negligence on Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos over the death of one of their twin son that resulted from several diagnostic tests. However, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has asked for an investigation into the matter.
In a law notice signed by the family’s lawyers, it is indicated that on 6 January, the toddler was taken to Euracare for investigations prior to a medical evacuation flight to the United States. Such procedures included an echocardiogram, brain MRI, PICC line, and a lumbar puncture, and these would be done under intravenous sedation and using propofol.
Nevertheless, the parents have pointed out that complications arose when the child was being transferred between hospital units following the MRI scan. Health experts pointed out that when sedating a child and transferring them, particularly if the child has a critical health condition, all health and safety guidelines need to be followed.
Allegations include weaknesses in airway protection, failure to continuously monitor for oxygen and vital signs, inapt dosing of sedative medications, and unpreparedness for resuscitation in case of an emergency or failure to respond to any distress in the cardiovascular/respiratory systems.
According to international standards, children undergoing deep sedation must be uninterruptedly monitored for oxygen saturation, heart rate, and respiration when being transported from one department, such as MRI and catheterization laboratories, to another.
The child’s aunt, Dr. Anthea Esege Nwandu, a doubly board-certified physician with a vast practicum in Nigeria and the United States, also dared to go against the version of events brought forth by Euracare regarding the child’s death. She renounced the claim made by the hospital about the provision of care according to international standards when she argued that basics such as oxygen, monitoring, and resuscitation capacity were not available.
Health experts have noted how this case demonstrates the imperatives of appropriate governance, pediatric life support training sessions on a continuous basis, and well-structured patient treatment procedures within government and private setups. In addition to this, there is an imperative requirement to make appropriate disclosures to parents, specifically pertaining to children and anesthesia or pediatric sedation.
The family is requesting complete disclosure of medical and hospital records and the preservation of any and all evidence, such as data and CCTV recordings. While the investigations and litigation are in progress, there is a great deal of belief in learning for the healthcare industry to avert similar calamities in the future.
