Six Senegalese Midwives charged over Pregnant Woman’s Death.
Written by News Room on April 20, 2022
Six midwives in Senegal have been charged over a pregnant woman’s death in hospital this month, their lawyer Abdou Daff said Wednesday.
Astou Sokhna died at nine months pregnant in a public hospital in early April in the northern town of Louga after she repeatedly pleaded with doctors to perform a caesarean section.
But the hospital refused her request on the grounds that the operation had not been planned in advance, and threatened to expel her if she insisted on the procedure, according to press reports.
Sokhna and her baby both died after a reported 20-hour wait, provoking an outpouring of anger on social media in Senegal. The president also promised to launch a probe.
The healthcare workers union ASAS began a three-day strike Wednesday over the detention of the midwives, as well as pay conditions accusing the government of failing to await the results of the investigation and of throwing health workers to the media lynch mob.
Seun Fakorede
