Health and medicine

Published on : 24/04/2022 – 02:13

With our correspondent in Dakar, Thea Olivier

All dressed in a “Patients in danger” t-shirt, a few dozen demonstrators gathered to shout their indignation at the medical negligence

Several of them took the microphone to testify publicly, including Fatou Jupiter Touré who recounted the violence she had already observed. ” I grew up in fear of all these stories of people who had problems giving birth. The case of a very close person who, going to give birth, might no longer hold on because of the contractions, and to whom a midwife demanded that she clean the table that another woman had just used. I think this kind of abuse needs to stop. »

Since the Astou Sokhna affair, many health professionals denounce a “lynching”. Gahëls Babacar Mbaye, spokesperson for the “Patients in Danger” collective, explains that improving the working conditions of caregivers is one of the demands, so that they can provide quality care to patients.

► Read also : “Astou Sokhna” case in Senegal: midwives defend themselves from accusations that are too quick

But she still regrets a certain impunity. ” Similar cases have already taken place here in Senegal, unfortunately the responsibilities are not located. Procedures are triggered but there is no culprit. What we want is for Senegalese to have access to quality care. That in this case Astou Sokhna, that we can locate the responsibilities. It is important to punish. »

Six midwives from Louga hospital will be tried next Wednesday for failure to assist a person in danger.

► Also to listen to: Senegal: in Louga, tongues are loosened on gynecological and obstetrical violence

Published on : 21/04/2022 – 23:01

With our correspondent in Dakar, Charlotte Idrac

Not a cat in the waiting room. No one in the work room. The maternity hospital of Aristide le Dantec is deserted this Thursday at the end of the morning. Only emergencies and a minimum service are provided, such as in the radiology department, where Amina Gadiaga Dial, member of And Gueusseum, the alliance of autonomous health unions, is located.

The Astou Sokhna affair was added to their demands on remuneration. “ We stand in solidarity with six midwives from Louga. What we didn’t like was that our Minister of Health hastily declared that there had been ‘negligence’. He should have waited for the end of the judicial inquiry. If there is a problem somewhere, I believe it is because the health system is sick “, denounces Amina Gadiaga Dial.

Astou Sokhna’s family filed a complaint for ” medical negligence “. The Minister of Health spoke of a death “ preventable », and six midwives are being prosecuted, four of whom have been placed under a warrant of committal. But for several organizations, health professionals are victims of a ” lynching ” in this file.

But the strike movement is decried by some citizens, who accuse health professionals of supporting their corporation before the victims. Amina Gadiaga Dial denies it: ” We are not too corporate. We are legalists and we think we are fair. In all systems there are bad apples, but it is not up to us to condemn, it is up to the judge. »

In the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, the Head of State affirmed that ” unprecedented budgetary resources ” had been mobilized to modernize the health system since 2012. President Macky Sall also calls for a ” urgent acceleration » reforms.

Published on : 21/04/2022 – 10:51

With our correspondent in Dakar, Charlotte Idrac

Astou Sokhna’s family denounced ” medical negligence », and the case caused an uproar in the country. The Minister of Health spoke of ” preventable death “. But many caregivers denounce a “lynching” of health professionals in this case.

« Stressed »

Since the start of the controversy, we are stressed “says Marie-Anne Bigué Sarr Basse, midwife and trainer. The Association of Midwives of Senegal denounces a ” mob vengeance “, and affirms his support” unwavering “to the colleagues of Louga prosecuted, who must not” to be sacrificial lambs » : « The midwives do their best. No midwife wants to have a patient who dies. In all the structures, there is a lack of equipment, diagnostics, everything… »

Marie-Anne Bigué Sarr Basse insists that there is more and more room within the training for the humanization of patient care: “ Yes, there is a course for everything related to hospitality, especially communication. Maybe we say that midwives have behaviors, but sometimes it’s the very susceptibility that causes problems between midwives and patients. »

« Question of principle, question of solidarity »

The association calls for “maternities without a midwife” this Thursday. A movement supported in particular by the Single Union of Health and Social Action Workers, explains its secretary general, Mballo Dia Thiam: “ For us, it’s just a presumption of innocence. And we think that so far the thesis of negligence is not a thesis that holds water. It will be up to the judge to say. But it’s not up to the Ministry of Health to talk regarding negligence. Question of principle, question of solidarity. »

A rally is also planned in Louga during the trial of midwives scheduled for April 27.

► To read once more: Senegal: the death of a pregnant woman raises questions regarding the health system

Published on : 17/04/2022 – 00:24

From our special correspondent in Louga,

Sitting in the middle of her sisters and neighbours, Maimouna Ba holds in her hands an album filled with photos of her daughter Astou Sokhna, who died last week. She was the one who accompanied the nine-month-old pregnant young woman to the hospital when she called in vain for the health personnel to relieve her severe stomach pains.

« My anger is directed at the nursing staff at the hospital, for they have been negligent. They have no regard for human beings », Dit Maimouna. « Astou had even threatened them: “you neglect me, when I call you you don’t answer me. When I’m well, I’ll report you to management”. The midwives replied:it’s because you’re in pain that you’re delirious”. Astou didn’t know she was going to die there… Hospital staff reject the thesis of negligence and instead point the finger at their precarious working conditions.

► To read also: Senegal: demonstration in Louga following the death of a pregnant woman in hospital

law of silence

But in Louga, tongues are loosened and other women are beginning to testify. Badiane Diop, 26, just lost her baby last month following waiting more than five hours for midwives to attend to her plight. ” Like all the others, when it came time to file a complaint, the family objected so I gave up… but deep down I will never forgive them for what they did to me and what they did to my baby “says Badiane.

Faced with these recurring cases of violence, Mamyto Nakamura, member of the Justice for Astou Sokhna collective, denounces the sutura, that is, the “discretion” that prevents women from testifying. ” We were accomplices, too, for a very long time, because we did not denounce the violence, the negligence, the laxity that was happening in this hospital and in a lot of hospitals in Senegal. Now is an opportunity not to be missed to be able to try to win the fight once morest violence once morest women in this country.. »

► To read also: Senegal: the death of a pregnant woman raises questions regarding the health system

Support and sanctions

Ousmane Dia, director of public establishments in Senegal, assures that the ministry is aware of this structural problem.

The first point on which we think we need to further improve the situation is on the training of health personnel, it is ethics, professional conduct, but there is also something on which we are going to put the focus is the penalties. We must make these people fear the bad behavior they may have during their service, but also see as far as possible how to support them.

A new demonstration of support for Astou Sokhna is scheduled for April 23 in Dakar.