By Alagie Manneh
The main referral hospital in Banjul, EFSTH, has completed investigations into the tragic death of a young lady at its Accident and Emergency. Fatou Dibba of Bakau was referred to the hospital with complications after an operation, but was reportedly turned away as doctors feared she had from Covid-19. She reportedly spent more than 30 minutes in an ambulance with no one attending to her, until she passed away.Details of her demise generated huge anger among Gambians online, who demanded accountability for her death.
The hospital had called for calm as it launched an investigation into Mrs Dibba’s death.
The PRO of the hospital, Kebba Nyancho Sanneh, disclosed yesterday that its investigations into the matter are over and a report has been sent to the Ministry of Health, the Medical Council and the AG’s Chambers who will decide the next course of action. “I expect this whole matter to be resolved in not more than two weeks,” Mr Sanneh told The Standard.
Asked to expound on the details of their report, Mr Sanneh said he was not at liberty to do so but added that he expected some form of “administrative punishment” for those found guilty.
But he was quick to state that the EFSTH will not accept what happened to Mrs Dibba as entirely its fault.
“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,” Mr Sanneh said.
He said the management of the hospital has also met and listened to those staff implicated in the matter.
