PIMS fire prompts hospitals' safety audit

The staff of a number of hospitals in Punjab have not conducted regular fire drills for several years.

Health and emergency management professionals warn that the absence of routine fire evacuation training, coupled with shortage of firefighting equipment in several government hospitals leaves patients, attendants and healthcare workers vulnerable to risks.

As many as 14 newborn babies lost their lives after a fire erupted in the Mother and Child Ward of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) issued urgent directions for the effective implementation of fire safety measures in government as well as private hospitals across the province.

It called upon the health and emergency services departments and hospital managements to take immediate action to safeguard patients, attendants, workers and infrastructure from fire and other emergencies.

The PHC.emphasised that hospital managements must make comprehensive arrangements for responding to emergencies, including trained personnel, regular emergency drills, functional equipment and adequate resources.

It reiterated that all hospitals must ensure full compliance with the prescribed minimum service delivery standards, including the Facility Management System (FMS) and Hospital Infection Control (HIC) requirements.

The hospitals were directed to establish an emergency coding system, including Code Red for fire, maintain fire-fighting equipment, train staff, conduct regular emergency drills, develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs).