Eleven newborn babies have died in a fire at the maternity unit of a hospital in the western city of Tivaouane in Senegal. The fire was caused by a short circuit, said the city’s mayor, Demba Diop Sy. It then quickly spread. Three babies were rescued from the blaze, he added.
The tragedy has set off a wave of grief and outrage throughout Senegal over the state of disrepair at some of the country’s health-care facilities. Families rushed to the Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital to find out if their babies had survived. It will be recalled that the hospital was newly inaugurated. Meanwhile, President Macky Sall has declared three days of national mourning and expressed sympathy.
Chidozie Chima | September 20, 2024
