Parents demand justice over newborns’ deaths

Families of newborn babies who died in a devastating fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) have

Families of newborn babies who died in a devastating fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) have alleged serious negligence by hospital authorities and demanded a transparent investigation into the tragedy.

The fire broke out in the hospital’s nursery early Wednesday morning, reportedly around 6:45am. The nursery, located in the gynaecology ward, had 16 newborn babies at the time. According to hospital authorities, only one infant survived while at least 15 newborns lost their lives.

Several parents and relatives questioned the emergency response and alleged that no nursery staff members were present when the fire started. Some families claimed that the door of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was locked, making it difficult for parents and others to reach the babies.

Relatives also alleged delays in the arrival of rescue services and police. According to some affected families, parents themselves attempted to enter the ward and save the children after the fire erupted.

The aunt of the only surviving infant said she entered the affected area herself and carried the baby to safety. She alleged that staff members were not present when the fire broke out and claimed that some employees had left the area.

Another family member said no doctor or hospital employee reached the affected ward for a considerable period after the fire began. The allegations have intensified questions about the hospital’s emergency preparedness, staffing and evacuation procedures.

The father of one of the deceased infants claimed that fire brigade and ambulance services arrived around one and a half hours after the blaze began. He said parents had been desperately trying to rescue their children during the emergency.

The bereaved families have also called for DNA testing to establish the identities of the deceased infants.

Some parents said they had not received sufficient confirmation about the identities of their children. They also complained that they were not properly shown the clothes or belongings associated with the deceased babies.

The families demanded that DNA tests be conducted before the bodies are handed over, saying the identification process must be transparent and beyond doubt.

They have also called for strict action against anyone found responsible for negligence and demanded accountability from the hospital administration.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and described the loss of children in such circumstances as an irreparable tragedy.

He ordered an immediate investigation into the fire and directed authorities to take strict action against officials found responsible.

The prime minister later chaired a high-level meeting to review the incident and expressed serious displeasure over the handling of the situation.

During the meeting, he ordered the suspension and removal of Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori from his position.

The government has directed relevant authorities to determine the exact cause of the fire, examine the emergency response and establish whether any negligence contributed to the deaths.

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said 14 deaths had been officially confirmed at the time of his statement. He said senior health officials and hospital authorities were present at PIMS and were in contact with the affected families.

The minister assured that anyone found responsible for negligence would face strict action. He also said he would accept accountability if an investigation established any fault on his part.

Kamal said hospital staff had gone to call rescue services after the fire started but acknowledged that the blaze spread rapidly.

He maintained that the hospital’s firefighting equipment was operational. At the same time, he acknowledged that PIMS was functioning beyond its capacity, raising concerns about the pressure on the country’s major public-sector medical facility.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, who visited the hospital after the incident, said the fire was caused by a short circuit.

According to his account, a gas line and plastic equipment helped the flames spread quickly through the affected area.

He said most of the infants died because of suffocation. He also noted that the oxygen supply in the nursery contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.

Chaudhary said doctors, nurses and other hospital staff were present when the incident occurred and that they remained safe.

The differing accounts regarding the cause of the fire and the presence of staff are expected to form an important part of the investigation.