Health secretary sets up camp at PIMS after nursery tragedy

Health secretary sets up camp at PIMS after nursery tragedy

Federal Health Secretary Mahmood Rai has established a temporary monitoring and complaint-resolution camp outside the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad following the deaths of 14 newborn babies in a devastating nursery fire.

The camp was installed late at night at the hospital’s entrance and includes lighting, fans and chairs to provide a basic facility for patients, attendants and visitors. Officials have also arranged the camp to receive complaints and concerns from citizens regarding hospital services.

Mahmood Rai will visit the camp every day to directly hear complaints from patients and their families and assess the situation at the hospital. He will also conduct daily inspections of PIMS to review administrative affairs, healthcare facilities and the overall quality of services being provided to the public.

The decision comes amid heightened concern over safety and management arrangements at the country’s major public-sector hospital after the tragic incident. The health secretary’s daily presence is intended to ensure closer supervision of hospital operations and allow authorities to address problems and complaints without delay.

The fire broke out on Wednesday in the nursery of the gynaecology ward at PIMS, resulting in the deaths of 14 newborn babies. The incident triggered grief among the affected families and raised serious questions about fire safety measures, emergency preparedness and the response inside the hospital.

Following the tragedy, authorities launched efforts to determine how the fire started and whether existing safety protocols were properly followed. The government is also facing calls for greater accountability and stronger safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The bodies of all 14 babies who died in the PIMS tragedy have been handed over to their families. The development allowed grieving relatives to take their children home as authorities continued efforts to examine the circumstances surrounding the deadly fire.

The temporary camp will now serve as a point of direct contact between hospital visitors and senior health officials. Through daily visits and inspections, the health secretary aims to monitor the hospital’s response, identify administrative gaps and ensure that public complaints receive timely attention.