Islamabad. Tragic killings of 14 infants at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) nursery ward in Islamabad on Wednesday is a clear depiction of the rulers’ misdirected priorities. PIMS is Pakistan’s largest public hospital which is struggling to treat huge population . The people of KP , Azad Kashmir and half of Punjab including over three million residents of the federal capital depend on PIMS for medical care. It was a good healthcare center in the past . For decades , it served the people as It had a vast number of specialists for at least all types of treatments . Then 18th amendment came in to play. It diverted focus for medical care from the federally administrated hospitals like PIMS to provincial facilities which hardly meet a good standard. It resulted in deterioration of health care facilities across Pakistan.
PIMS which is just 5/6 km from the grand building where the ruling elite sit and decide that construction of under passes and fly overs is much more important than having quality health care centers and educational institutions . Its the public which is paying the price for misdirected priorities of the government in the form of killing of their innocents like burning to death of new born babies at PIMS.
Today , those who have lost their babies soon after birth, are like living dead. They are wailing over tragic deaths of their new babies , but it will not make any difference to the ruling elite who believe their duty is to form committees which never come up with the truth.
Earlier reported :
Prime minister , Shahbaz Sharif, has taken serious notice of the killing of 14 infants in fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad and ordered immediate removal of federal Health Secretary Mr Aslam Ghauri , from his post.
A statement issued by the Media Wing of the Prime Minister Office (PMO) said , Shahbaz Sharif , called in an emergent meeting on the sad incident that took 14 infants lives at PIMS ,nursery ward today. During the meeting , the prime minister , expressed anger over the tragic incident and ordered immediate removal of the federal secretary , Mr Aslam Ghauri who was asked by him to leave the meeting immediately.
The prime minister has ordered a complete inquiry into the tragedy and appointed Shahid Khan , a former federal Interior Secretary head of the inquiry committee.
Earlier , Fire broke out at third flour of PIMS at around 6.45 AM that killed 14 infants who were in the nursery ward of the hospital.
Although PIMS administration claimed that the rescue work had begun at the nursery ward and fire brigade vehicles had reached at the site immediately to control the fire , but the damage done to the ward and killing of 14 infants in the tragic incident contradict PIMS administration statement.
Federal Health minister , Syed Kamal Mustafa , lamented loss of lives of 14 innocent babies . He said the fire broke out due to air conditioner’s blast.
Independent sources said the tragedy occured due to keeping infants in the nursery ward when its repair work was being done.
Those who lost their new born babies also negated the PIMS administration arguments .
Speaking to international media , the families of the lost infants said the fire brigade vehicles reached at the site after several hours. They said the people who were at the site tried to save the lives of infants ,but the raging fire made them helpless. The level of tragedy could be judged that only one out of 15 new born babies could be saved from the burning third flour of the child hospital of PIMS.
Later, the government assigned the charge of the Health secretary to Capt. (R), Muhammad Mahmood . Mr Mahmood is currently serving as federal Housing secretary.
Meanwhile , the public is demanding punitive action against top administration of PIMS .
In a related development , Talal Chaudhary , state minister for Interior , has said the government is going to investigate as to why the doors of nursery ward were locked at the time of incident.
