11 Newborns Die In Senegal Hospital Fire Outbreak

Tragedy strikes as 11 newborns are lost to a fire outbreak at a hospital in Tivaouane, West of Senegal.
It has been a tough time for the parents and relatives of the newborns as they mourn their dead children.
The country has been shaken by a number of recent health care scandals, including a fire outbreak last year at the neonatal unit of a hospital in Linguere, in the country’s North. Four babies were killed in the Linguere hospital fire, last April.
Unfortunately history repeats itself yet again but this time claiming more tiny lives and leading to the health minister being relieved from his job.
President Macky Sall fired his health minister as the country mourns the eleven babies lost to the fire at the neonatal ward of a hospital in the western city of Tivaouane.
The Health Minister, Diouf Sarr was relieved of his duties on Thursday, and has been replaced by a senior ministry official, Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye, according to a statement released by the government.
Former Health Minister, Sarr was attending the World Health Assembly conference in Geneva during the time of the fire at the Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital, which occurred late Wednesday. Before his dismissal, Sarr told the local radio station RFM that the fire which engulfed the Tivaouane hospital’s newborn unit was caused by an electrical short circuit.
Sarr may or may not be reinstated but for now he has been replaced.
The country will do a few things to help the berieved families in one way or the other.