ISLAMABAD: Dr Muhammad Salman has been removed as executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), with Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Tanveer Khaliq assigned additional charge of the post, according to reports on Monday.
Dr Salman, who is also the chief executive officer of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was appointed PIMS executive director in the wake of the deadly neonatal nursery fire at the hospital in August.
According to the government orders issued after the tragedy, Dr Salman was transferred from NIH and posted as PIMS executive director on deputation while retaining additional charge of NIH. Subsequent reporting said the deputation was for three years, subject to further orders.
Professor Dr Tanveer Khaliq, who is serving as vice chancellor of SZABMU, has now been given temporary charge of PIMS executive director, according to reports. An official notification confirming the latest change was not immediately available.
Dr Salman had assumed charge of PIMS after former executive director Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikandar was suspended along with seven other officials following the August 26 fire that killed 14 newborns.
ALSO READ
PMDC removes MDCAT requirement for students seeking admission abroad
The inquiry into the tragedy found serious systemic and institutional failures at PIMS, including shortcomings in fire safety, emergency preparedness and evacuation arrangements. The detailed inquiry later concluded that a localised electrical failure was the most probable cause of the fire, while the hospital’s senior management bore primary institutional responsibility for failing to address known safety risks.
