A PIMS nurse who saved the only surviving newborn during a devastating fire that engulfed the hospital’s nursery broke down while recalling the tragedy, saying she still regrets being unable to save the other babies.
Speaking to a news channel, Nurse Razia said caring for newborns was her passion and that she had always treated the babies in her care like her own.
“I loved taking care of the children. This is my passion. I fed them, changed their diapers and gave them their medicines,” she said.
Razia said she continues to struggle with the memory of the incident and often cannot sleep at night.
Recalling the moments when the fire broke out, she said she initially managed to rescue one newborn and then tried to return to save the others.
“I went back to save the other babies, but I could not. In nearly a minute, everything in the nursery was gone,” she recalled.
Razia was later honoured by the government with a cash reward and the Sitara-e-Khidmat for her courage in saving the surviving newborn.
However, breaking down, she said, “I did not save that baby to receive an award. It is my bad luck that I could not rescue the other newborns.”
It is pertinent to mention that 14 infants lost their lives in the devastating fire at PIMS Islamabad, while several others were rescued. The exact reason behind the rapid spread of the fire is not yet known. However, taking strict action, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif approved the suspension of eight PIMS officials.