The Executive Director of Pakistan Institute for Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital, Dr Rana Imran Sikandar, has refused to resign following the recent PIMS Hospital fire that took the lives of 14 innocent newborns, according to reports on Thursday. The hospital administration formed a four-member committee to investigate the matter.
PM Shehbaz unhappy with PIMS chief’s performance
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has expressed anger over the deadly fire at the children’s ward of PIMS Hospital and ordered strict action against those responsible.
According to sources, the PM was also unhappy with the performance of PIMS Executive Director Dr Rana Imran Sikandar.
The inquiry committee will examine Dr Rana Imran’s role in the incident. The government is also considering asking him to resign.
More government officials could also come under investigation as the inquiry into the tragedy continues.
PIMS stops accepting new maternity cases
PIMS Hospital administration has stopped accepting new maternity cases following the recent fire incident at the hospital.
According to media reports, the PIMS Executive Director, Dr Rana Imran Sikandar, confirmed the development.
He said that the hospital cannot accommodate more patients than its current capacity. This is the main reason for not accepting new maternity cases.
According to Dr Rana Imran, 15 beds in the children’s nursery were completely damaged in the fire. The nursery previously had 50 beds but now has only 35.
He said children and patients will be shifted to other hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The PIMS administration has sent letters to other hospitals regarding the transfer of patients. Some children have already been shifted to Polyclinic.
Read more: MCI report exposes repeated fire safety violations at PIMS since 2018
How was Dr Rana Imran appointed as permanent Executive Director PIMS?
Dr Rana Imran was appointed as the permanent Executive Director of PIMS after the hospital had been without a permanent head for almost six years. He is expected to remain in the post until his retirement in 2031.
The appointment came after a Supreme Court decision allowed faculty members to apply for the Grade-21 post of Executive Director at PIMS.
However, some senior PIMS doctors and faculty members challenged his appointment. They raised questions about seniority, qualifications and the rules used for the appointment.
Senior doctors, including Dr Ayesha Aisani and Dr Mutahir Shah, approached the Islamabad High Court.
They claimed that seniority and merit were not properly considered during the appointment process.
Another senior doctor, Iqbal Durrani, also approached the Federal Service Tribunal and the High Court.
He argued that the head of a major hospital like PIMS should come from the management side rather than the clinical or teaching faculty.
Questions were also raised about some of Dr Rana Imran’s Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs).
These reports were prepared when he was heading the anaesthesia department. They were reportedly questioned under the rules for a post of the same grade.