Pakistan suspends eight officials following hospital fire that resulted in 14 infant deaths

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the suspension of eight officials and initiated criminal proceedings after a fire in the neonatal ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad resulted in the deaths of 14 babies. The decision followed an interim report from an investigative committee that highlighted a lack of fire safety protocols at the hospital. The fire occurred shortly before 7 AM local time on Wednesday, starting in the Mother and Child Healthcare Centre and spreading rapidly through oxygen outlets connected to incubators. Staff managed to rescue only one of the 15 infants in the ward. In a statement, Sharif described the incident as a heartbreaking tragedy and assured that those responsible would face exemplary punishment. The suspended officials include the hospital’s executive director, two joint executive directors, the head of the neonatal department, two senior doctors, a security official, and the head of the Capital Development Authority’s emergency services. Additionally, action has been approved against a company responsible for hospital security. The interim inquiry revealed that the hospital lacked meaningful fire safety protocols, with only two of its 13 standard operating procedures addressing fire or emergencies. It was noted that supervisory staff were absent when the fire broke out, and emergency services were not contacted until six minutes after the fire started. The first responders arrived 15 minutes after the call. A separate fire incident had occurred at the hospital’s nursing hostel a month prior, which did not lead to any safety improvements. One nurse, Razia Noreen, was recognized for her bravery in rescuing a child before the flames spread, receiving the Sitara-i-Khidmat state honour and a cash reward of one million rupees (approximately $3,500). Health Minister Mustafa Kamal criticized the country’s health system and supported a parliamentary investigation, while the government has announced compensation of five million rupees (about $17,700) for each affected family.