17 September | Sainey Darboe
Staff of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) have been found negligent in the death of Fatou Dibba, according to an internal investigation.
Fatou Dibba died after giving birth to twins. She was referred to Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, but staff allegedly failed to attend to her due to fears she was exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19.
Speaking to Banjul-based standard newspaper, hospital spokesperson Kebba Nyancho Sanneh disclosed the ministry of health, medical council and the AG’s Chambers have received the report and are anticipated to institute corrective action.
Sanneh wouldn’t be drawn on the specific details of the report, but vowed there would be “administrative punishment” for the staff deemed culpable .
He added: “I think what many failed to understand is that the EFSTH alone cannot be entirely responsible for the fate of Mrs. Dibba. We will not shoulder all the blame.The ASB Clinic where she was operated for child delivery should not have sent her to us, in the first place, knowing that she showed symptoms of Covid”.
Mrs. Dibba, according to media reports, had been delivered of twins at the Arbeiter Samariter Bund Hospital in Latrikunda German on Tuesday September 1st, 2020. Experiencing cough and breathing problems, she returned to the hospital who handed her a referral to EFSTH. There, she was neglected and denied treatment until she died because staff feared she had contracted the deadly corona virus.