PIMS Nursery Tragedy: YDA Demands Independent Probe
Young Doctors Association Islamabad calls for an independent, time-bound investigation into the deaths of 14 newborns and demands comprehensive fire-safety audits of PIMS and other major public hospitals across the capital.
ISLAMABAD: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Islamabad has demanded an immediate, independent and transparent investigation into the PIMS nursery tragedy that claimed the lives of 14 newborn babies, calling for accountability as well as an urgent review of fire-safety arrangements at major government hospitals in the federal capital.
YDA Calls for Accountability
In a statement issued following the incident, YDA Islamabad expressed solidarity with the parents and families who lost their newborns and said the scale of the tragedy required more than condolences. The association called for a credible investigation to establish what happened, determine responsibility on the basis of evidence and identify measures needed to prevent a recurrence.
The demand comes as authorities investigate the incident at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Official accounts cited in multiple reports confirm that 14 newborns died after a fire broke out on the third floor of the hospital’s Mother and Child Health facility on Wednesday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an immediate investigation, while the Islamabad administration has constituted a fact-finding committee tasked with submitting its report within 24 hours.
Questions Over Fire-Safety Systems
YDA Islamabad said investigators should establish the precise cause of the incident and examine whether fire alarms, detection and firefighting systems were fully functional at the time.
The association also wants investigators to determine whether fire extinguishers and other safety equipment were operational; when the nursery last underwent a fire-safety inspection and emergency drill; and whether an effective evacuation and emergency-response protocol existed and was followed.
Questions should also be asked about how quickly the incident was detected and reported, how long it took to bring the situation under control, whether sufficient trained staff and an emergency-response team were available, and who was responsible for maintaining, inspecting and certifying the facility’s fire-safety systems, YDA said.
Officials Cite Seven-Minute Response
According to the Capital Emergency Service and CDA Fire Department, the emergency call was received at 6:54am and response teams reached PIMS within seven minutes. Six fire brigade units and four ambulances were deployed, according to APP.
The exact cause remains an important subject of the official investigation. Some initial reports have attributed the incident to an air-conditioning compressor or electrical fault, but YDA’s statement stressed that conclusions regarding responsibility should be based on the formal investigation rather than preliminary claims.
CCTV and Technical Records Should Be Examined
YDA said evidence including CCTV footage, official records, maintenance logs, fire-drill records and technical assessments by relevant experts should be examined before responsibility is assigned to any individual or institution.
The doctors’ body welcomed the prime minister’s directive for an immediate investigation but called for the process to be independent, transparent and completed within a defined timeframe. It also demanded that the findings be made public and that action under the law be taken against anyone found responsible.
Fire-Safety Audit Sought Across Islamabad
Beyond the investigation into PIMS, YDA Islamabad called for an immediate and comprehensive fire-safety audit of PIMS and all major government hospitals in Islamabad.
Such an audit, it said, should examine fire alarms, extinguishers, hydrants, emergency exits, electrical systems, oxygen-safety arrangements and emergency evacuation procedures.
The association said the families who lost their newborns deserved answers and stressed that hospitals must provide a safe environment not only for patients but also for their families and healthcare workers.
The Islamabad administration’s fact-finding committee has similarly been tasked with establishing the cause of the incident, examining the adequacy and functionality of fire-safety arrangements and evaluating the response of firefighting and rescue services.
