ISLAMABAD: A 20-member committee comprising health experts from the public and private sectors has been formed on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the administrative affairs of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and recommend measures to improve its functioning.
Sources in the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination said the committee would examine the hospital’s existing management structure and suggest how its affairs should be run more effectively.
The committee will submit its report to the prime minister, who will take a final decision based on its recommendations.
The government has also decided to establish a Board of Governors for PIMS, with members to be drawn from different fields.
The move comes after a fire broke out in the neonatal nursery of the Mother and Child Health Centre at PIMS on August 26, killing 14 newborns.
An inquiry committee headed by former interior secretary Shahid Khan had submitted an interim report pointing to serious lapses in fire safety, emergency preparedness and supervision.
Following the findings, Prime Minister Shehbaz ordered the suspension of eight officials, including then Executive Director Prof Dr Imran Sikandar. He also directed that departmental and criminal proceedings be initiated against those found responsible.
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The interim report had also recommended the formation of a permanent governing board for PIMS to ensure regular oversight and improve its management.
Dr Muhammad Salman, chief executive officer of the National Institutes of Health, was subsequently appointed acting executive director of PIMS.
The prime minister has separately directed the federal health minister and health secretary to visit PIMS on alternate days to monitor the implementation of safety and improvement measures.
Parliamentary committees have also called for comprehensive reforms in the hospital’s governance and emergency response systems.
