Mohammadia Orphanage Fire: Injured Children Expected to Leave Hospital Soon as Minister Reviews Medical Care

Algeria’s Minister of National Solidarity, Family and Women’s Affairs visited the Zéralda Burns Hospital on Friday to assess the condition of children injured in the deadly Mohammadia Child Care Institution fire, with medical teams reporting encouraging recoveries and the imminent discharge of several patients as authorities continue nationwide support and safety measures.

BY Dr. Hana Saada

ALGIERS – Algeria’s Minister of National Solidarity, Family and Women’s Affairs, Soraya Mouloudji, visited the Zéralda Burns Hospital on Friday to assess the condition of children injured in the deadly fire at the Mohammadia Child Care Institution, as health officials reported that several patients are expected to be discharged in the coming days.

According to a ministry statement, the visit—conducted on the second day following the tragedy—allowed the minister to review the medical treatment being provided to the injured children and receive detailed briefings from specialist healthcare teams overseeing their recovery.

Medical staff informed the minister that the children are responding positively and rapidly to treatment, with clinical assessments indicating that several of them could leave hospital shortly once their treatment protocols have been completed and their conditions are confirmed to be stable.

Mouloudji reaffirmed that the Ministry of National Solidarity remains fully mobilised to support the injured children and their families, stressing that comprehensive medical, psychological and social assistance will continue throughout their recovery until they are able to return safely to their normal lives.

The visit follows one of Algeria’s deadliest institutional fires in recent years. The blaze, which broke out before dawn on Thursday at the Mohammadia Child Care Institution in Algiers, claimed 11 lives and injured 19 others, according to official figures.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, upon returning from an official visit to Germany on Friday, travelled directly to the Zéralda Burns Hospital to visit the victims and receive updates from medical staff on their condition. Earlier, he had issued a message of condolence mourning the victims and wishing those injured a swift recovery.

Acting on the President’s instructions, Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited hospitals treating the victims, conveyed the President’s condolences to bereaved families, and later attended the funeral of those killed in the fire.

In response to the tragedy, Mouloudji also chaired an emergency crisis meeting and announced a series of nationwide measures aimed at strengthening safety across child care institutions. The plan includes the establishment of a National Risk Monitoring and Management Unit, enhanced fire prevention standards, expanded staff training in cooperation with Civil Protection authorities, and a centralised digital monitoring system to oversee compliance with safety regulations.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN) said preliminary findings indicate that the fire was likely triggered by an electrical spark originating from an air-conditioning unit operating continuously during the recent heatwave, while emphasizing that the judicial investigation remains ongoing.