Senegal President Macky Sall on Friday announced the sacking of his Health Minister, Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, after 11 babies were killed by a fire in a hospital a few days ago.
Africa Today News, New York gathered that Mr Sarr will now be replaced by Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye, the ministry’s director general, following the tragedy in Tivaouane city which happened on Wednesday.
The blaze, which rapidly consumed the newborn unit at the Tivaouane hospital, is being blamed on an electrical short circuit.
President Sall declared a three-day national mourning. He also ordered an investigation into the tragedy.
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He is expected to visit Tivaouane on Saturday to meet the babies’ relatives.
Many observers say that Senegal’s health system is beset by staffing, infrastructure, equipment and funding problems.
A series of other deaths also have raised concerns about maternal and infant health in the West African nation known for having some of the best hospitals in the region.
Africa Today News, New York gathered that outside the Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital in Tivaouane, a city with a population of 40,000, one of the distraught mothers called out for her son.
‘Where is Mohamed?’ she cried.
Her baby son was taken to the hospital 10 days ago and was baptised on Monday, Mohamed’s 54-year-old father Alioune Diouf said.
The city’s mayor Demba Diop said the fire had been caused by a short circuit and spread very quickly.
He denied allegations from relatives at the hospital and across social media that the babies had been left alone, saying a midwife and nurse were present on Wednesday evening.
‘There was a noise and an explosion that lasted three minutes at most,” he said outside the hospital entrance.
‘Five minutes after, the fire brigade arrived. People used fire extinguishers.’
The mayor said the air-conditioning had accelerated the flames and added that the two nurses fainted but were revived.
‘There was no negligence,’ Diop insisted.
The maternity unit was equipped to take care of 13 babies.