At least 14 newborn babies died after a fire broke out in a maternity ward at Islamabad’s largest public hospital.
At least 14 newborn babies were killed Wednesday morning when a fire broke out in the maternity ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad’s largest public hospital.
RELATED: 7 Strategic Gains from Pakistan Iran Cooperation on Regional Peace
The blaze started at about 7 a.m. local time in the hospital’s newborn ward. Emergency service sources said it appeared to have been caused by an air-conditioning compressor that exploded inside the ward.
Hospital workers managed to rescue one baby, according to the sources.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was “deeply saddened by this tragic incident” and ordered an immediate investigation, according to a statement from his office. He also pledged to “take strict action against anyone found responsible.”
Concerns over public hospital safety
The deaths come amid longstanding concerns about conditions in Pakistan’s public hospitals, which face inadequate funding and staff shortages and have been criticized over aging infrastructure and emergency preparedness.
Hospital fires are not uncommon in Pakistan, particularly in public facilities that often operate with outdated electrical systems.
Earlier this year, a major fire at a shopping center in Karachi killed at least 67 people. In June 2022, a fire at a children’s hospital in Lahore destroyed medicines worth thousands of dollars, according to local media reports.
PIMS occupies a large site in Islamabad, which is home to Pakistan’s political and military elite and generally has better facilities than many other parts of the country.
The hospital’s website says its mission is to be a leading research-focused medical university that trains medical students, paramedics and postdoctoral fellows to international professional standards.
Pakistan’s healthcare system includes both public and private providers, while government-run facilities face persistent funding and staffing constraints.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.