Punjab orders review of fire-safety arrangements at health facilities after PIMS tragedy
Punjab Healthcare Commission directs both public and private hospitals to strengthen emergency preparedness
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered a comprehensive review of fire-safety arrangements at public healthcare facilities in response to a deadly blaze at Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The disaster claimed the lives of 14 newborns who were trapped on the third floor of the Mother and Child Hospital when a fire erupted early Wednesday.
The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has directed both public and private hospitals to bolster their emergency preparedness measures, including ensuring the presence of trained personnel, functional firefighting equipment, adequate resources and regular emergency drills. The commission emphasized that all institutions must comply with the Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS) and Facility Management System (FMS) requirements.
Hospitals were instructed to establish an emergency coding system, prominently display emergency exit maps, and obtain building safety and fitness certificates. The Punjab Emergency Services Department and district emergency officers have been tasked with inspecting hospitals to verify fire safety arrangements and issue safety certificates.
Hospitals found non-compliant will face inspection reports with improvement recommendations. The PHC also called for fire-safety audits of all public and private hospitals to be completed without delay.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
