Following the deaths of 14 newborn babies in a fire at the gynaecology ward of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), hospital authorities have begun temporarily referring complex gynaecological cases to Polyclinic and hospitals in Rawalpindi.
The move comes as the hospital works to restore services after the deadly incident. A temporary office of the federal Ministry of Health has also been established at PIMS to allow officials to directly monitor rehabilitation efforts and address patients’ concerns.
A senior gynaecologist said there was no formal policy to send patients back or refer all cases elsewhere. However, with the nursery destroyed in the fire and repairs expected to take time, critically ill and high-risk cases are being referred to other hospitals where necessary.
Despite the temporary arrangements, PIMS continued to handle complex cases. On Thursday, the hospital performed three to four complicated deliveries, according to officials.
Hospital management is also conscious that transferring all patients to other facilities could place significant pressure on their existing capacity. As a result, only cases considered to require urgent referral are being moved to other hospitals.
Health Ministry Office Shifted to PIMS
Newly appointed Health Secretary Captain (retd) Muhammad Mahmood said he would spend most of his time at PIMS to gain a firsthand understanding of the hospital’s challenges and would operate the ministry from the facility.
Speaking to the media, Mahmood acknowledged that he was new to the health sector but said his experience as an administrator would help him address the hospital’s infrastructure and governance challenges.
He said he was committed to bringing PIMS infrastructure closer to international standards and improving governance through the use of modern technology.
Mahmood added that after attending important meetings chaired by Prime Minister, he would return to PIMS to continue overseeing the situation.
The temporary relocation of the ministry’s operations to PIMS comes as authorities face mounting pressure to restore normal healthcare services while investigations into the fire, safety arrangements and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the 14 newborns continue.
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