The federal government has announced financial compensation of Rs5 million each for the families of the 14 newborn babies who died in the tragic fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the government said it shared the grief and sorrow of the families affected by the tragedy.
The government acknowledged that no financial compensation could make up for the loss of precious human lives and that the deceased children could never be brought back. It said the financial assistance was intended to help ease the difficulties faced by the bereaved families and provide some support during their time of grief.
The government spokesperson said the authorities would extend all possible assistance and cooperation to the affected families.
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The compensation announcement comes a day after a fire broke out at the nursery of the Mother and Child Health Ward at PIMS on August 26, killing 14 newborn babies. One infant was rescued from the ward.
The incident raised serious questions about the hospital’s fire-safety arrangements and emergency response. Initial reports cited an explosion in an air-conditioning unit as a possible cause, while an initial PIMS report referred to an explosion involving a nebulizer and said the high concentration of oxygen in the nursery may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
The final cause of the fire and any possible administrative or safety lapses will be determined by the inquiry committee constituted to investigate the tragedy.
