Long-term risks of medical negligence – intellectual and financial capital flees first
The Institute of Medicine & Law highlights how a tragic case of alleged medical negligence can undermine trust in healthcare, drive people to question their sense of safety, and have wider consequences for society and the country.
“I Do Not Want to Go Back to Nigeria.” These are the words of Chimamanda Adichie, the acclaimed Nigerian author. She has appeared on Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World list and is an internationally acclaimed public speaker recognised as one of the most prominent and influential voices in contemporary global literature.
This January, she lost her 21-month-old son due to alleged medical negligence at a hospital in Lagos. The infant with fever was hospitalized, treated with antibiotics and underwent diagnostic evaluations, including an MRI scan, echocardiogram, and lumbar puncture. He suffered respiratory distress, seizures, and cardiac arrest after receiving sedation.
The author alleges that excessive propofol was administered under unsafe conditions, a medication error directly acknowledged by one of the doctors in the team. The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) subsequently made initial findings of negligence against three attending doctors.
This tragedy seems to have profoundly altered her relationship with Nigeria. Her work often examines the complexities of Nigerian society and culture, and the emotional connection to her homeland is clear in her writings. However, the loss of her son appears to have fractured that bond.
When asked whether Nigeria still felt close to her, Adichie responded honestly, saying her feelings for the country had changed fundamentally and she no longer wanted to return. This change marks a significant personal struggle for someone who has long championed Nigerian culture on the global stage.
Safety and survival are the most fundamental instincts of all living beings. If the citizens of this country do not feel safe, especially in healthcare, those who can will move away sooner. This exodus will not begin with doctors and hospital administrators, but with the intelligentsia and the affluent. Good roads and airports will not stop them. This is the history of mankind. This is not about doctors or patients; it is about society, the nation and its future.
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/10/world/africa/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-nigeria-son-death.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://streamlinefeed.co.ke/news/i-do-not-want-to-go-back-to-nigeria-chimamanda-adichie-speaks-out-following-her-sons-death
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