11 babies killed in Senegal hospital fire

Eleven newborn babies
Eleven newborn babies died in a hospital fire in the western Senegalese city of Tivaouane, the president of the country said late Wednesday.

Just before midnight in Senegal, Macky Sall announced on Twitter that 11 infants had died in the blaze.

"I have just learned with pain and dismay about the deaths of 11 newborn babies in the fire at the neonatal department of the public hospital," he tweeted.

"To their mothers and their families, I express my deepest sympathy," Sall added.

The tragedy occurred at Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital in the transport hub of Tivaouane, and was caused by "a short circuit", according to Senegalese politician Diop Sy.

"The fire spread very quickly," he said.

The city s mayor Demba Diop said "three babies were saved". According to local media, the Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital was newly inaugurated.

Health minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, who was in Geneva attending a meeting with the World Health Organization, said he would return to Senegal immediately.

"This situation is very unfortunate and extremely painful," he said on radio. "An investigation is under way to see what happened."

The tragedy in Tivaouane comes after several other incidents at public health facilities in Senegal, where there is great disparity between urban and rural areas in healthcare services.

In the northern town of Linguere in late April, a fire broke out at a hospital and four newborn babies were killed. The mayor of that town had cited an electrical malfunction in an air conditioning unit in the maternity ward.



from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/kZq6Xlr

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Low payments by fed govt hampered development in Sindh, CM Murad tells Bilawal Bhutto

North Korea imported Chinese masks before declaring Covid victory

Country’s economy has stabilized owing to prudent policies, Asad Qaiser

President Ashraf Ghani launches Afghanistan's coronavirus vaccine campaign

Taliban declare war in Afghanistan over, call for peaceful relations with world

Sanctions could cause space station to crash: Roscosmos

Sindh govt seeks army's help in implementation of coronavirus SOPs

FM Qureshi contact with UN Secretary General to discuss regional, global issues

Pakistan Army continued its relief and rescue operation in Karachi: ISPR

Monsoon rains add to Karachi’s woes, kill two youngsters