Gambiaj.com – (Basse, The Gambia) – Police in Basse have launched an investigation into the tragic death of a three-week-old baby girl from Boboum Kunda in the Wuli District, reportedly following complications from an act of female circumcision.

According to a police statement issued on Friday, the infant, identified as the daughter of Adama Sowe, was first rushed to Bajakunda Health Center after the procedure but her condition worsened. She was referred to Basse Hospital and later transferred to Bansang Hospital, where she was pronounced dead despite efforts by medical staff to save her life.

The baby’s mother, Adama Sowe, and grandmother, Metta Wamch, who were with her throughout the ordeal, have been taken into police custody and are cooperating with investigators. Authorities said the child’s body is currently preserved at the Bansang Hospital mortuary, pending transfer to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul for a postmortem examination.

In a statement, the Gambia Police Force urged the public to abide by the law and prioritize the protection of children’s lives and wellbeing, stressing that harmful traditional practices put young lives at risk.

This latest tragedy comes just months after another baby died in similar circumstances in the Central River Region, sparking renewed calls for tougher enforcement of the ban on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Activists warn that despite the legal prohibition of FGM since 2015, the practice remains widespread in many communities, often carried out in secrecy by traditional circumcisers.

Human rights groups and health professionals have repeatedly highlighted the dangers of the practice, which include excessive bleeding, severe infections, long-term reproductive health complications, and in cases like this, death.

The death in Wuli once again underscores the ongoing clash between law, cultural tradition, and the urgent need for awareness and enforcement to protect girls and infants from such harmful practices.