PM’s PIMS probe committee seeks nursery staff statements

ISLAMABAD: A fact-finding committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to investigate the PIMS hospital tragedy has sought written statements from staff members working in the nursery of the Children’s Hospital.

The committee has taken custody of the nursery’s CCTV footage and questioned members of the nursery staff as part of its investigation into the deaths of 14 newborn babies in a fire at the hospital.

Sources said the committee reviewed the CCTV recordings and compared the footage with the hospital administration’s account of how the fire started. Officials and staff associated with PIMS health management were also questioned during the inquiry.

The PIMS administration provided the committee with the duty roster of staff members who were on duty on August 26. The fire brigade and emergency department also submitted their reports to the committee.

Four PIMS officials, including the Joint Executive Director, have submitted written statements to the investigation body.

The committee is expected to submit an interim investigation report to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within 48 hours.

The tragedy has left the families of the 14 newborns devastated. The babies died after a fire broke out in the gynaecology ward of PIMS. The grieving parents have demanded DNA testing to formally identify their children and called for action against those responsible for the incident.

Following the deaths, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suspended Federal Health Secretary Aslam Ghori. Housing Secretary Muhammad Mahmood was subsequently given additional charge of the health secretary’s post.

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said he was the first person willing to hold himself accountable for the tragedy. When asked by a journalist whether he was considering resigning, Kamal said the prime minister was his boss and had asked him not to discuss certain matters. He said he would speak to the prime minister before making any further statement.

Meanwhile, an initial report by the PIMS administration has shed light on the possible cause of the fire. According to the report, a small explosion occurred in a device installed alongside an incubator in the neonatal intensive care unit. The device was used to measure oxygen levels. A spark reportedly ignited the oxygen, causing the fire to spread.

Parents and eyewitnesses, however, have raised serious questions about the emergency response inside the nursery. They alleged that medical staff were not present when the fire broke out and that the doors were closed. They also accused rescue agencies of arriving late at the scene.

A report submitted by the Capital Development Authority’s Fire Department found that fire-safety and life-protection arrangements at PIMS were inadequate.

The report also pointed out that emergency exit routes had been permanently blocked from the outside, raising further concerns about the hospital’s preparedness to deal with a fire or other emergency.