Senegalese president sacks well being minister after hospital fireplace
Senegalese President Macky Sall sacked his well being minister on Thursday as his nation mourned the demise of 11 infants in a hospital fireplace blamed on a brief circuit.
The tragedy late Wednesday within the western metropolis of Tivuan was the most recent in a string of hospital deaths that uncovered the weaknesses of the nation’s well being care system.
Sall earlier introduced the tragedy on Twitter and declared three days of nationwide mourning.
He wrote, “I’ve simply realized of the ache and horror of the demise of 11 newborns in a neonatal ward fireplace at Common Hospital.”
“To their moms and households, I categorical my deepest sympathy.”
Outdoors Mam Abdou Aziz Si Dabbakh Hospital in Tiffuan, a metropolis of 40,000, a surprised mom referred to as for her son.
“The place is Mohamed?” cried.
Alioune Diouf, the daddy of 54-year-old Mohammed, stated her son was taken to hospital 10 days in the past and baptized on Monday.
Metropolis Mayor Demba Diop stated the hearth was brought on by a brief circuit and unfold in a short time.
He denied allegations by his kin within the hospital and by way of social media that the kids have been left alone, saying {that a} midwife and a nurse have been current on Wednesday night.
“He heard a sound and an explosion that lasted for 3 minutes at most,” he stated outdoors the hospital entrance.
“5 minutes later, the hearth brigade arrived. Individuals used fireplace extinguishers.”
The mayor stated the air conditioner accelerated the flames, including that the 2 nurses fainted however have been revived.
“There was no negligence,” Diop insisted.
The catastrophe sparked requires the resignation of Well being Minister Abdi Dai Diouf Sar, who was additionally quoted by media reviews as blaming {an electrical} failure.
The presidency stated within the night that he would get replaced by Marie Khamis Noujoum Ndiaye, former Director-Common of the Public Well being Authority.
His workplace stated Sall would return early from overseas and go to the hospital on Saturday.
The maternity unit is supplied to deal with 13 infants.
“On the time of the hearth, there have been 11 nurses who couldn’t save them,” the minister stated.
The pinnacle of the World Well being Group, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, tweeted that he was “deeply saddened by this tragic information.
“I ship my deepest condolences to the dad and mom and households of the kids who misplaced their lives.”
Outgoing Well being Minister Sarr, who was in Geneva for a gathering with the World Well being Group, stated an investigation was underway.
The Tifuan tragedy comes after a number of different public well being incidents in Senegal, which suffers from a big disparity between city and rural areas in well being care providers.
Within the northern city of Linguirre in late April, a fireplace broke out in a hospital and killed 4 newborns.
The mayor of the city reported {an electrical} failure within the air con unit within the maternity ward.
Wednesday’s incident got here greater than a month after the nation mourned the demise of a pregnant lady who had waited in useless for a C-section.
The girl, Asto Sokhna, arrived at a hospital within the northern metropolis of Loja in ache. Employees refused to accede to her request for a caesarean part, saying that no date had been set for her. She died on April 1, 20 hours after arriving.
Sokhna’s demise induced outrage throughout the nation over the dire state of the well being system. Saar admitted two weeks later that the demise might have been averted.
On Might 11, the Louga Excessive Courtroom sentenced three midwives who have been on obligation on the evening of Sokhna’s demise to a suspended six-month jail sentence for “not helping an individual at risk” in relation to her case.
Sidi Gassama, Amnesty Worldwide’s director in Senegal, stated his group had referred to as for an inspection and improve of neonatal providers in hospitals throughout Senegal after the “horrible” deaths of the 4 kids in Linguere.
With the brand new tragedy, Amnesty Worldwide “is urging the federal government to type an unbiased investigation committee to find out accountability and punish the perpetrators, no matter their degree within the state equipment,” he stated.
Opposition MP Mamadou Lamine Diallo responded angrily to the Tifuan fireplace.He wrote on Twitter: “Extra kids are burning in a public hospital… That is unacceptable MackySall.”We’re struggling with the households to whom we provide our condolences. Sufficient is sufficient.”
(AFP)
