Islamabad: A team of senior officials from the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) visited the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on Monday morning to assess the hospital’s situation and suggest measures for improvement following the nursery fire that killed 14 newborns, health ministry officials said.
Officials said the visit was part of efforts by the Ministry of National Health Services to seek assistance and expertise from different institutions to improve the functioning, administration and overall condition of the federal capital’s largest public-sector hospital.
The CMH team reviewed the situation at PIMS, including its administrative arrangements and healthcare facilities, and is expected to suggest measures that could help improve hospital management and service delivery, they added.
The move comes days after a fire in the neonatal nursery of the PIMS Maternal and Child Health Centre killed 14 newborns, exposing serious shortcomings in fire safety, emergency preparedness, administration and governance at the hospital.
Officials said the federal government was now examining broader structural reforms at PIMS instead of restricting its response to action against individuals held responsible for the tragedy.
Among the options under consideration is the constitution of an independent and empowered Board of Governors to oversee the hospital and introduce greater administrative and managerial accountability.
However, officials said such a fundamental change in the governance structure of PIMS would require an Act of Parliament or appropriate amendments to the existing legal framework.
They said consultations were continuing on different models and the government was seeking input from institutions with experience in managing large healthcare facilities before deciding on a future governance structure for PIMS.
The nursery tragedy has intensified scrutiny of the hospital’s management and safety systems and prompted the federal government to consider long-term administrative reforms alongside immediate corrective measures.