Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, has dismissed and suspended Aslam Ghori, the Federal Health Secretary, along with another senior health official following the deaths of at least 14 newborns in a fire that broke out in the maternity ward of a hospital in Islamabad.
Mr. Sharif has also ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and directed that legal action be taken against those found responsible. Expressing “deep sorrow,” the Pakistani prime minister conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims.
Following the fire, several Pakistani senators also called for an immediate strengthening of safety measures in the country’s hospitals. Senior Senate officials emphasized the need to upgrade fire safety and firefighting systems, conduct regular inspections of the equipment, and carry out a “comprehensive and transparent” investigation into the cause and circumstances of the incident.
Mustafa Kamal, Pakistan’s Health Minister, said the newborns were either in incubators or connected to oxygen equipment when the fire broke out. According to him, the conditions in the neonatal ward made rescue operations more difficult.
A spokesperson for the hospital told BBC Urdu that the fire started in an air-conditioning unit in the mother-and-child ward and spread rapidly because of the presence of oxygen connections. Hospital officials have not yet released a final assessment of the cause of the fire.
The hospital spokesperson told the BBC that 15 newborns were admitted to the third floor when the fire broke out, and only one infant survived the incident. He also told Pakistani media outlet Dawn News that the surviving infant was rescued from the fire by a doctor.
Eyewitnesses reported chaotic scenes and thick smoke filling parts of the hospital. Some witnesses also criticized what they described as delays in the arrival of emergency responders and called for an investigation into how emergency services responded to the incident.
Pakistani authorities have said investigations into the cause of the fire and the potential responsibility of individuals and institutions involved are ongoing. The findings are expected to determine whether negligence or deficiencies in the hospital’s safety systems contributed to the outbreak and spread of the fire.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
