Fire in Islamabad Hospital Claims Lives of Newborns

A tragic incident occurred at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Islamabad on Wednesday, resulting in the death of fourteen newborn babies. The fire, which broke out shortly before 7 a.m., rapidly spread through the third floor of the maternity ward.

The Islamabad district administration stated that the emergency teams sent six fire engines and four ambulances to the scene. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, an Islamabad lawmaker, informed reporters that 15 babies, along with four hospital staff and several mothers, were present when the fire began. Rescue efforts saved one newborn.

Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal explained that the fire started due to an exploding air conditioning unit, which quickly accelerated because of oxygen cylinders nearby. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for an immediate investigation, urging that those accountable face stringent consequences.

According to the World Bank, Pakistan’s healthcare spending ranks among the lowest in South Asia. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, also known as PIMS, houses over 150 beds in its maternity ward. Despite budget approvals in June, the nation’s largest doctors’ association has highlighted the dire state of healthcare infrastructure, attributing it to prolonged structural neglect.

Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, recently had a brief medical assessment at this facility. The incident at PIMS adds to a series of recent tragedies involving children. In June, an incident in Lahore, Punjab Province, resulted in the death of 14 children when a tutoring center’s roof collapsed.

Reporters Zia ur-Rehman and Salman Masood contributed to this coverage, with Elian Peltier, the Times’s bureau chief for Pakistan and Afghanistan, providing oversight from Islamabad.