By Isatou Sarr
Fire broke out on Thursday at the paediatric ward of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) Children’s Hospital in Banjul, affecting the paediatric conference room and adjoining staff offices.
No injuries were reported. The hospital’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) says the cause of the fire is yet to be determined and is under investigation.
Following the incident, Health Minister Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh visited the hospital to assess the situation and review the response. He confirmed that all patients in the affected ward, including babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), were evacuated safely.
According to Dr Samateh, hospital staff acted promptly, using available fire safety equipment before the arrival of the fire service, which later extinguished the fire.
“The response was quick and coordinated. The babies were moved to safety before the fire service arrived, and there were no casualties,” the minister said.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, though investigations are on-going.
Dr Samateh added that patients from the affected areas have been relocated to other wards, including recently renovated sections of the hospital, and medical services continue uninterrupted. Senior government officials, including the Minister of Defence and the National Security Adviser, were present during the assessment.
“All patients are stable, and hospital operations are continuing in alternative wards,” he said.