PIMS fire: New executive director takes charge as govt appoints replacements

ISLAMABAD: Dr Muhammad Salman has assumed charge as executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a day after the prime minister suspended senior officials following an inquiry into a fire that killed 14 newborn babies.

Salman, who is also serving as chief executive officer of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was appointed executive director of PIMS for three years or until a permanent officer is appointed.

He will serve on deputation until further orders while retaining additional charge of the NIH, according to a government notification.

After assuming charge, Salman chaired a meeting with heads of various PIMS departments. The meeting was also attended by senior hospital officials and directors.

The government has also appointed replacements for other PIMS officials suspended following the interim inquiry into the August 26 fire at the hospital’s Mother and Child Health Centre.

PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar has been suspended for 120 days. Joint Executive Director (Non-Medical) Chaudhry Waris Ali Raza, Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Dr Nosheela Amjad, Joint Executive Director of the Children’s Hospital Dr Mutahir Shah, Senior Registrar Obstetrics and Gynaecology Dr Naghma Nawaz, Associate Professor of Paediatrics Dr Sadia Riaz and Assistant Director Security Muhammad Usman have also been suspended for 120 days.

Dr Altaf Hussain has been given additional charge of joint executive director (non-medical), while Dr Shmeela has been assigned charge of head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Dr Nuzhat Yasmeen has been given additional charge of joint executive director of the Children’s Hospital, while Dr Amina has been assigned charge of senior registrar at the Mother and Child Centre.

Dr Rahmana has been given charge of associate professor of paediatrics at the Children’s Hospital, while Hassan Ashraf has been assigned additional charge of assistant director security.

In-charge Nurse Nasreen and female security staff member Maria, who were present in the ward when the fire broke out, have been placed in the administrative pool pending further investigation.

The appointments follow Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s decision to initiate departmental and criminal proceedings against officials identified by an inquiry committee examining the fire.

The committee’s interim report found serious shortcomings in PIMS’ fire preparedness, emergency response and management systems but said the precise source of ignition had not been conclusively established.

It said further forensic, technical and documentary investigation was required before individual responsibility could be determined.

Fire spread within minutes

The inquiry reconstructed the incident using CCTV footage and found that the first visible sign of an emergency appeared at about 6:38am. Smoke rapidly filled the nursery, substantially obscuring visibility within about two minutes.

The footage showed In-charge Nurse Nasreen and security guard Maria entering the nursery. Staff nurse Razia Noreen entered shortly afterwards and emerged carrying a baby, rescuing the child before attempting to re-enter the nursery.

The committee found that PIMS did not have a detailed or regularly rehearsed evacuation plan specifically for the neonatal nursery.

The hospital had 13 standard operating procedures, but references to fires or emergencies appeared in only two subsections, according to the report.

There were no detailed procedures covering fire detection, alarm activation, external notification, incident command, extinguisher use, oxygen or electrical isolation, emergency exits, evacuation priorities or the safe relocation of newborns.

The report also raised concerns about fire detection and alarm systems, emergency exits and evacuation arrangements, describing the hospital’s overall fire and life-safety arrangements as inadequate.

Capital Emergency Services separately reported that some emergency exits and escape routes were locked or obstructed and that firefighters had to forcibly open locked doors and other access points.

The inquiry said, however, that it was still verifying the status and location of the relevant doors before assigning individual responsibility.

Questions over emergency response

The investigation found that the first emergency call recorded by Capital Emergency Services was received at about 6:54am, around 16 minutes after the fire became visible on CCTV.

A response team was dispatched at about 6:55am and reached the hospital around 7:01am.

The committee noted that other evidence referred to an earlier call and said it could not yet attribute the apparent delay in notification to any particular person or agency.

The inquiry also highlighted an earlier fire at the PIMS nursing hostel on July 6.

Recommendations following that incident included a comprehensive fire-safety audit, improvements to alarms and evacuation procedures, firefighting equipment, electrical inspections and staff training.

The committee said available records suggested that corrective measures had not been adequately implemented before the neonatal nursery fire.

PIMS also did not have a dedicated officer responsible for dealing with fires and other emergencies. The responsibility had been assigned as an additional charge to an assistant director.

Cause of fire remains unresolved

The interim report said the exact source of the fire remained unresolved.

Different accounts had attributed the blaze to an air conditioner, incubator or warmer, an electrical short circuit or an overloaded plug.

The committee said an internal electrical or equipment-related origin remained possible but it would be premature to identify any specific appliance or component as the established cause.

Prime Minister Shehbaz has ordered criminal proceedings against those identified by the inquiry committee, alongside departmental action.

He has also ordered a review of the contract and licence of the private security company deployed at PIMS, with proceedings to follow if contractual violations are established.

The prime minister directed that the interim inquiry report be made public, and the Ministry of National Health Services subsequently uploaded it to its website.

The inquiry committee, headed by former federal secretary Shahid Khan, has been directed to complete its investigation and submit a detailed report.

The government has also recognised the actions of staff nurse Razia Noreen, who rescued a baby during the fire. Sharif approved the Sitara-i-Khidmat for her and a cash award of Rs1 million.

The tragedy has prompted calls for greater accountability and improvements in hospital safety.

The National Assembly’s health committee has also raised questions over safety arrangements at PIMS, while a petition has been filed before the Islamabad High Court challenging the alleged non-implementation of fire-safety laws in the capital.

IHRA orders health facilities to review and improve their fire and life-safety arrangements

Meanwhile, the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) has ordered health facilities in the capital to review and improve their fire and life-safety arrangements, giving them seven days to complete the required measures.

In a letter issued to healthcare facilities, the regulator directed them to ensure safety arrangements for patients and staff in line with modern fire and life-safety standards.

Healthcare facilities have been instructed to obtain fire-safety no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Fire Department and install fire-protection systems through registered contractors.

The measures include ensuring the installation and functionality of fire-detection, alarm and suppression systems, hydrants and firefighting equipment.

The IHRA also directed healthcare facilities to ensure the availability of emergency exits, provide life-safety training to staff and conduct regular fire-safety drills.

Facilities have been given seven days to complete the required life-safety measures and submit compliance reports to the authority.

The IHRA said it would inspect life-safety arrangements at healthcare facilities across Islamabad and take strict action against those failing to comply with its directives.