ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the immediate suspension and initiation of criminal proceedings against eight officials held responsible by an inquiry committee for the fire at the neonatal nursery of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the prime minister, where the preliminary inquiry report on the tragic incident was presented.
The prime minister directed that those found responsible should face both departmental and criminal proceedings under the relevant laws, stressing that there would be no discrimination or leniency in dealing with those responsible for criminal negligence.
The officials named by the inquiry committee include PIMS Executive Director Professor Dr Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Chaudhry Dr Waris Ali Raza, Neonatal Department Head Professor Dr Saadia Riaz, Senior Registrar Dr Naghma, Dr Nousheela Amjad, PIMS Security Assistant Director Muhammad Usman and CDA Emergency Services Director General Dr Abdul Rehman.
Shehbaz Sharif also approved action against the security company deployed at PIMS and its officials.
The prime minister directed that the preliminary inquiry report be made public immediately and uploaded on the website of the Ministry of National Health Services.
“Those responsible for criminal negligence do not deserve any leniency,” the prime minister said, adding that all those responsible for the incident would be brought to justice.
He said the deaths of innocent children were a deeply tragic incident over which the entire nation was mourning and expressed sympathy with the bereaved parents.
The prime minister further directed that those responsible be given exemplary punishment so that no mother would again be separated from her child because of criminal negligence.
As part of recognition for an act of extraordinary courage during the incident, the prime minister approved the award of Sitara-e-Khidmat for nurse Razia Noreen, who saved a child’s life before the fire spread throughout the ward. She will also receive a cash award of Rs10 million.
The nurse and a female security guard present in the ward have been directed to be made Officers on Special Duty, while further investigations will continue.
The prime minister appointed Dr Muhammad Salman, CEO of the National Institutes of Health, as Acting Executive Director of PIMS and ordered immediate appointments to all positions from which officials had been removed.
The inquiry found serious shortcomings in the hospital’s emergency preparedness. PIMS had 13 SOPs, but references to fire or emergency situations were found in only two subsections, while no detailed SOPs or specific training for fire and other emergencies were in place.
The supervisory staff was also absent when the fire occurred. Only two nurses, a female security guard and a house officer were present in the ward.
According to the briefing, the fire engulfed the entire ward within approximately two minutes. An emergency services call was made six minutes after the fire broke out, while the first emergency response arrived 15 minutes later.
The inquiry also found that there was no fire alarm or sprinkler system in the ward.
A fire had occurred at the PIMS nursing hostel just a month earlier in July, but no serious measures were taken afterwards to improve fire safety at the hospital.
The meeting was further informed that the neonatal ward was in violation of relevant World Health Organisation requirements and that PIMS had no designated officer responsible for fire or other emergency situations.
The prime minister directed inquiry committee head Shahid Khan and members to complete the investigation and submit a detailed further report.