ISLAMABAD: The administration at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has officially suspended the admission of new maternity cases following severe operational strains and infrastructural setbacks.
Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar confirmed that the facility can no longer take in new patients due to critical capacity constraints.
The development comes in the wake of a devastating fire in the hospital’s neonatal nursery, which destroyed 15 incubators and beds.
With the nursery’s capacity reduced from 50 to 35 operational beds, hospital leadership has formally notified regional healthcare facilities.
Consequently, incoming maternity patients and newborns are being redirected to other medical centers across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, while some infants have been successfully transferred to Poly Clinic Hospital to ensure uninterrupted care.
260-Words Note on Deadly Incident in PIMS
The recent PIMS Hospital Tragedy has sent shockwaves across Pakistan, drawing intense scrutiny toward public healthcare safety standards.
A catastrophic fire erupted in the neonatal nursery of the Mother and Child Health (MCH) ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), claiming the lives of newborn babies.
Initial reports indicate that the blaze, allegedly triggered by an electrical short circuit or an air-conditioning unit spark, rapidly intensified due to oxygen lines connected to the incubators.
The disaster exposed severe structural and safety lapses, with preliminary findings highlighting inadequate fire-safety measures, a lack of functional sprinkler systems, and obstructed or locked emergency escape routes.
The incident provoked nationwide grief and outrage, prompting swift government intervention.
In response to the gross administrative negligence, authorities suspended key officials and established multiple high-level inquiry committees to investigate the root causes, evaluate emergency response protocols, and fix responsibility.
Lawmakers and oversight bodies have since questioned the structural fitness of the healthcare ward to house critical pediatric patients.
ALSO READ: PIMS Hospital Tragedy: PM Shehbaz Dismisses Federal Health Secretary
As administrative fallout forces the suspension of new maternity admissions and relocates remaining patients, the tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need for stringent safety audits, modernization, and accountability within state-run medical infrastructure to prevent future catastrophes.
