PIMS Hospital has begun temporarily referring some serious gynaecological cases to Polyclinic and hospitals in Rawalpindi after a devastating fire at its Mother and Child Hospital left 14 babies dead. The arrangements were introduced as officials assess the damage to the nursery and prepare for repair and renovation work.

A senior gynaecologist at the hospital said PIMS continued to accept patients and had no refusal policy. However, because the nursery was badly damaged in Wednesday’s fire, the hospital has decided to transfer particularly serious cases to other medical facilities where necessary.

The doctor said several serious deliveries were still carried out at PIMS on Thursday, but the hospital was mindful that surrounding hospitals could not absorb every case if large-scale referrals began.

The fire broke out on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal initially attributed the incident to a blast involving an air-conditioning unit, although authorities have yet to establish the definitive cause.

Health secretary to operate from PIMS

Newly appointed Health Secretary Capt (retd) Muhammad Mehmood said he had begun working on measures aimed at improving the hospital’s infrastructure, administration and use of technology.

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Speaking to journalists, Mehmood said healthcare infrastructure should meet international standards and that governance also needed improvement.

He acknowledged that he was new to the health sector but said his primary responsibility was administration.

In an unusual move aimed at gaining a closer understanding of the hospital’s problems, the health secretary said he would operate the Health Ministry from PIMS and spend most of his time at the hospital.

Mehmood said he would leave when necessary to attend important government meetings, including those chaired by the prime minister, before returning to PIMS.

He argued that modern technology made such an arrangement possible and would allow him to remain directly connected with ministry operations while monitoring conditions at the hospital.

Questions remain over cause of deadly fire

The precise cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Initial statements suggested that an electrical spark or technical fault involving an air-conditioning unit may have triggered the blaze. However, officials have not yet reached a final conclusion.

The incident has also generated conflicting accounts about the emergency response.

Witnesses have alleged that they waited for extended periods for emergency assistance and were forced to break windows in an attempt to reach the neonatal intensive care unit. Some also reported encountering locked doors inside the affected area.

Authorities have disputed these accounts and maintained that emergency and rescue teams responded promptly.

A formal investigation is expected to determine not only how the fire started but also whether the hospital’s fire-safety arrangements, evacuation procedures and emergency response systems were adequate.

Punjab orders urgent hospital safety measures

The tragedy has also prompted authorities outside Islamabad to review fire preparedness in healthcare facilities.

The Punjab Healthcare Commission issued urgent directives on Thursday calling for effective implementation of fire-safety measures across public and private hospitals in the province.

The commission instructed health departments, the Punjab Emergency Services Department and hospital administrations to immediately strengthen arrangements for dealing with both fire and other emergencies.

The directives are aimed at ensuring hospitals have effective emergency procedures and adequate systems to protect patients, medical staff and visitors.

The PIMS tragedy has intensified scrutiny of fire-safety standards in hospitals, particularly in sensitive areas such as neonatal and intensive-care units where patients may be unable to evacuate without assistance.

As repairs begin at the damaged nursery, PIMS faces the immediate challenge of maintaining essential services while ensuring that patients requiring specialised and urgent care continue to receive treatment.

The hospital’s temporary referral arrangements are expected to remain in place until the affected facilities are repaired and deemed safe for normal operations.