PIMS ED, seven others suspended as PM orders criminal proceedings over neonatal ward fire

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday ordered immediate action against eight people identified by an inquiry committee over the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) neonatal ward fire, approving their suspension as well as departmental and criminal proceedings.

The directives came after fourteen newborn babies were killed on Wednesday after a fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital ward.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier presided over a high-level meeting on the incident, during which he was presented with the inquiry committee’s interim report and CCTV footage of the incident lasting around two minutes.

Read: Govt orders fire safety audits of hospitals after PIMS tragedy

The prime minister directed that those found responsible for criminal negligence be prosecuted without discrimination and said they did not deserve any concession.

Among the eight people identified by the committee are PIMS Executive Director Prof Dr Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Chaudhry Dr Owais Ali Shah, head of the neonatal department Prof Dr Sadia Riaz, senior registrar Dr Naghma, Dr Nousheela Amjad, PIMS Assistant Director Security Mohammad Usman and Capital Development Authority Emergency Services Director General Dr Abdul Rehman.

The prime minister also approved action against the security company deployed at the hospital and its officials.

He directed that those responsible be brought to justice, stressing that exemplary punishment would be ensured so that no mother would again lose her child due to anyone’s criminal negligence.

“The death of innocent children is a tragic incident over which the entire nation is grieving,” the prime minister said, adding that he and the entire nation stood with the bereaved parents.

The prime minister approved the conferment of the Sitara-e-Khidmat on a nurse who saved a child without regard for her own life during the incident.

He also ordered that a nurse and a female guard present in the ward be made officers on special duty (OSD) and directed further investigation into their roles.

The prime minister directed Dr Mohammad Salman, CEO of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to be appointed acting executive director of PIMS.

He further ordered the immediate and simultaneous appointment of new officials in place of those removed from their posts.

The prime minister also directed that the interim report of the inquiry committee be made public immediately. The report, according to the meeting, would be uploaded on the Ministry of National Health’s website shortly.

Inquiry findings

The meeting was presented with the interim report of the inquiry committee, along with CCTV footage of the incident lasting around two minutes.

According to the briefing, initial investigations found that PIMS had no detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) or training for fire or other emergencies.

Of the hospital’s 13 SOPs, only two subsections contained references to fire or emergencies, the meeting was told.

Supervisory staff was not present on duty when the incident occurred. Two nurses, a female guard and a house officer were present in the ward at the time, according to the briefing.

The fire spread, and the entire ward was engulfed within only two minutes, the meeting was told.

One nurse saved a child before the fire spread through the ward, risking her own life in the process.

The emergency services were called six minutes after the fire broke out, while the first emergency response arrived 15 minutes later, according to the briefing.

The meeting was also informed that a fire had occurred at the PIMS nursing hostel only a month earlier, in July, but serious measures to improve safety at the hospital had not been taken afterwards.

There was no fire alarm or sprinkler system in the ward, while the neonatal ward was found to violate all relevant World Health Organisation (WHO) rules, the briefing said.

The meeting’s members were further informed that no officer had been designated at the hospital to deal with emergencies such as fires, with the assistant director assigned the responsibility in addition to his duties.

The prime minister was also briefed on the dilapidated condition of the hospital and administrative mismanagement.

PM Shehbaz thanked the inquiry committee chairman, Shahid Khan, and all its members for their work and directed them to complete the investigation and submit a more detailed report.