Inquiry finds serious fire-safety lapses at neonatal ward; nurse Razia Noreen approved for Sitara-e-Khidmat and Rs10 million cash award for saving a child

LAHORE , NAZRANA TIMES 

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday approved the immediate suspension of eight officials and ordered criminal proceedings against them after they were identified by an inquiry committee in connection with the fire at the neonatal nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
The prime minister issued the directives while chairing a high-level meeting on the PIMS fire incident, where the inquiry committee presented its preliminary report.
He directed that those held responsible by the committee should face departmental action as well as criminal proceedings under the relevant laws.

Eight Officials Face Action

According to the preliminary inquiry, the eight individuals identified are PIMS Executive Director Professor Dr Imran Sikandar; Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Chaudhry Dr Waris Ali Shah; 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.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed that criminal proceedings be initiated against all those found responsible without discrimination. He also approved action against the security company deployed at PIMS and its officials.

Nurse Razia Noreen to Receive Sitara-e-Khidmat, Rs10 Million

The prime minister approved the award of Sitara-e-Khidmat for nurse Razia Noreen, along with a Rs10 million cash award, in recognition of her efforts to save a child without regard for her own safety.
According to the briefing, Noreen rescued the child before the fire spread throughout the ward.
The prime minister also directed that the nurse and a female security guard who were present in the ward be made Officers on Special Duty (OSDs), while further investigations into the incident are carried out.

New Acting Executive Director for PIMS

Shehbaz Sharif directed that Dr Muhammad Salman, CEO of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), be appointed Acting Executive Director of PIMS.

He also ordered that new appointments be made immediately to all positions from which officials had been removed.

The prime minister directed that the inquiry committee’s preliminary report be made public without delay and said it would shortly be uploaded to 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 those responsible for the incident would be brought to justice.

Expressing grief over the loss of innocent children, Shehbaz Sharif said the incident was deeply tragic and that the entire nation was mourning.

“My sympathies, along with those of the entire nation, are with the parents of the children,” he said.

He added that those found responsible would face exemplary punishment so that such a tragedy caused by criminal negligence is not repeated.

Fire Engulfed Ward Within Two Minutes

A two-minute CCTV video of the incident was also shown during the meeting.

According to the preliminary investigation presented at the meeting, PIMS did not have detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) or specific training arrangements for dealing with fires or other emergency situations.

The meeting was informed that out of PIMS’ 13 SOPs, references to fire or emergency situations appeared in only two subsections.

Supervisory staff were reportedly not present on duty when the incident occurred. Two nurses, a female security guard and a house officer were present in the ward at the time.

According to the briefing, the fire spread across the entire ward within just two minutes.

An emergency services call was made six minutes after the fire started, while the first emergency response arrived 15 minutes later.

No Fire Alarm or Sprinkler System in Ward

The meeting was further informed that a fire had occurred at the PIMS nursing hostel only a month earlier, in July. Despite that incident, no serious measures had reportedly been taken to improve fire safety at the hospital.
The neonatal ward had no fire alarm or sprinkler system, according to the briefing.
The meeting was also informed that the neonatal ward was found to be in violation of relevant World Health Organization (WHO) requirements.
There was no designated officer at the hospital responsible specifically for fire or other emergency situations. Instead, an assistant director had been assigned the responsibility as an additional duty.
Officials also briefed the meeting on the deteriorating condition of the hospital and administrative mismanagement.

The prime minister thanked inquiry committee head Shahid Khan and its members and directed them to complete the investigation and submit a detailed report.

Federal Ministers Ahsan Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar and Syed Mustafa Kamal, inquiry committee head Shahid Khan, committee members Barrister Nabeel Awan and Major General (retd) Khursheed Utra, along with other senior officials, attended the meeting.