President approves Tamgha-i-Shujaat for PIMS nurse who saved newborn

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the conferment of “Tamgha-i-Shujaat” on Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) staff nurse Razia Noreen for rescuing a newborn during the hospital’s nursery fire last month that claimed the lives of 14 infants.

According to a statement issued by the President’s House, Noreen risked her life to enter the nursery as flames engulfed the facility and safely brought out the only newborn who survived the fire.

The PIMS nursery caught fire on August 26 while 15 newborns were inside. Fourteen babies died in the tragedy, while Noreen managed to rescue one child.

A government inquiry into the incident found that the fire was likely caused by a fault in the electrical supply cable of air conditioner No. 2, while shortcomings in the hospital’s systems and institutional failures turned the incident into a major tragedy.

CCTV footage from the incident showed Noreen entering the nursery as flames spread and emerging seconds later carrying a newborn. She later attempted to re-enter the nursery, but by then the fire had intensified.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier praised Noreen’s courage and sense of duty and presented her with a Rs10 million cheque. He also announced that she would be awarded the Tamgha-e-Shujaat on March 23.

During her meeting with the prime minister, Noreen had said that she was simply performing her duty because the babies had been entrusted to her care and she felt responsible for them.

On September 10, Yan Jin, chairperson of a Chinese company, also presented Noreen with a Rs1 million cheque in recognition of her bravery.

“One life saved is equivalent to saving all of humanity,” Yan said, praising Noreen for saving the newborn despite the dangerous conditions.