Senegalese President Macky Sall has sacked his Health Minister, Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, after 11 babies were killed by a fire in a hospital in the western city of Tivaouane on Wednesday.
The blaze, which rapidly engulfed the newborn unit is being blamed on an electrical short circuit.
President Sall declared a three-day national mourning and ordered an investigation into the tragedy.
Prior to his dismissal, minister Sarr said the situation is very unfortunate and extremely painful. He was attending a World Health Organization meeting in Geneva at the time, where he said an investigation was under way and he would be cutting his trip short to return to Senegal immediately.