Posted by Dear President Barrow,
Your speech on the death of 66 Gambian children due to Acute Kidney injury outbreak was not what many Gambians were expecting from you. In all honesty, the Ministry of Health must agree that it has failed Gambians and they should be blamed for it.
As a leader, you should have asserted authority and reprimand officials of the Health Ministry from the Minister to the last person who is responsible in this case, instead of commending them.
Besides, you cannot compare such tragedies with any other issue especially lives lost previously under your predecessor’s regime. This is a wrong move and I think it’s uncalculated as well.
The nation is mourning and as a leader, you should lead the country to mourn the innocent victims.
Take a look at your colleague and brother President Macky Sall of Senegal, when 11 babies died in a fire incident at a hospital in Tivavoune this year, he sacked his Health minister and declared a national day of mourning. He went further to lay the foundation stone for the construction of a complete new hospital in Tivavoune and supported families of the deceased children.
Every life is important and anyone who carelessly or negligently contributes to the lost of any lives must be punished accordingly.
This incident happened as a result of negligence, bad governance and corruption, therefore heads must roll and the public deserve better.
Wasalam!
Assan Sallah,
Concerned citizen.