Pakistan PM suspends eight officials after PIMS fire kills 14 babies

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the suspension of eight officials and criminal proceedings against those responsible for a fire that killed 14 newborn babies at a government hospital in Islamabad.

The order followed an inquiry that found serious fire-safety and emergency-response failures at the facility.

What happened in the PIMS hospital fire in Islamabad?

A fire broke out on Wednesday at the Mother and Child Healthcare Centre at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), one of Islamabad's largest public hospitals, killing 14 newborns in the neonatal ward.

An interim inquiry found the ward had no fire alarm or sprinkler system, and that the hospital lacked adequate procedures and training for handling fires and other emergencies.

Who has the PM suspended over the PIMS fire?

The prime minister directed that those found responsible face both departmental and criminal action under relevant laws, the government said on Saturday.

The officials approved for suspension and action include PIMS Executive Director Professor Dr Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Dr Chaudhry Owais Ali Shah, Head of Neonatal Department Professor Dr Sadia Riaz, Senior Registrar Dr Naghma, Dr Nosheela Amjad, PIMS Assistant Director Security Muhammad Usman and Capital Development Authority Emergency Services Director General Dr Abdul Rehman.

Sharif also ordered action against the private security company deployed at the hospital and its officials. He directed that the interim inquiry report be made public and uploaded to the Ministry of National Health Services' website.

What did the inquiry find about the PIMS fire response?

The inquiry found that supervisory staff were not on duty when the fire broke out, though two nurses, a female security guard and a house officer were present in the ward at the time. According to the inquiry briefing, the fire spread through the ward within about two minutes. One nurse risked her life to rescue a baby, prompting Sharif to approve the conferment of the Sitara-e-Khidmat, Pakistan's civil award for distinguished service.

The inquiry found that an emergency call was made six minutes after the fire started, with the first emergency response arriving another 15 minutes later. Investigators also found PIMS had no detailed standard operating procedures or proper training for fire and other emergencies. Of 13 hospital SOPs, only two subsections contained references to fire or emergency situations, according to the briefing.

The committee found violations of relevant World Health Organization safety requirements in the neonatal ward and said PIMS had no dedicated officer responsible for fire and other emergencies. That responsibility had instead been assigned to an assistant director alongside his regular duties. The government said a fire had also broken out at the PIMS nursing hostel in July, about a month before the neonatal ward blaze, but adequate corrective measures had not been taken.

The inquiry committee also briefed the prime minister on the deteriorating condition of the hospital and administrative mismanagement, and presented CCTV footage of the incident, which lasted about two minutes.

How does the hospital's account of the fire differ from witnesses?

PIMS said the fire was initially caused by a spark inside the nursery at 6:38 a.m. and spread rapidly after oxygen points near the incubators caught fire. According to the hospital, two doctors and two nurses on duty responded immediately and alerted security staff, and security personnel attempted twice to enter the nursery before a blast occurred and ceilings collapsed.

Witnesses, however, said emergency services took hours to respond and that people had to smash windows to reach the affected ward. Some also alleged that doors were locked, a claim the hospital and government officials later disputed.

Who is now leading PIMS after the suspensions?

Sharif ordered the immediate replacement of officials removed from their posts through one-time appointments to prevent disruption to hospital operations. He also directed that the nurse and female security guard who were present in the ward be placed on special duty pending further investigation. Dr Muhammad Salman, chief executive of the National Institutes of Health, was appointed acting executive director of PIMS, the government said.

Sharif ordered the inquiry committee to complete its investigation and submit a comprehensive final report. "Those responsible for criminal negligence do not deserve any concession," Sharif said, adding that those responsible would be brought to justice. "My sympathies, along with those of the entire nation, are with the parents of the children," he said.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Ahsan Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar and Syed Mustafa Kamal, inquiry committee chairman Shahid Khan, members Barrister Nabeel Awan and Major General (retd.) Khurshid Utra, and other senior officials.