- PM chairs emergency meeting on health sector affairs.
- Premier orders improvements in healthcare facilities at Pims.
- PM directs authorities to accelerate health sector reforms.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that officials found guilty of “criminal negligence” in the recent fire incident at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) would be shown no leniency.
The premier made the remarks while chairing an emergency meeting on health sector affairs and the recent fire incident at the Islamabad hospital.
14 infants died when a fire broke out at around 6:45am in the NICU on the third floor of the Mother and Child Health ward at Pims on August 26. The nursery housed 15 newborns at the time, with only one infant rescued.
PM Shehbaz directed Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal and Secretary Health Captain (retd) Muhammad Mahmood to ensure their personal presence at Pims on alternate days and personally oversee the implementation of measures aimed at improving the institution.
The prime minister also ordered authorities to ensure improvements in healthcare and treatment facilities at Pims and to strictly implement all necessary safety and security measures.
He directed the authorities concerned to accelerate the pace of reforms across the country’s health sector.
During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on matters concerning the health sector, as well as the ongoing investigation into the Pims fire incident.
The meeting was informed that directives issued by the prime minister in light of the preliminary investigation report were being implemented.
Sources privy to the matter had said that the initial inquiry report into the deadly fire at the Pims nursery revealed that the hospital’s treatment and facilities fell below global standards.
The sources, on August 29, had said that the report, submitted to the premier, also identified the causes of the incident and determined those responsible for the tragedy.
The inquiry committee had recommended removing Pims executive director along with all heads of departments from their posts, sources had added.