Authorities have begun checking fire safety arrangements at hospitals in Rawalpindi following the deadly tragedy at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Enforcement Abdul Rehman Khan accompanied by a Rescue team inspected Benazir Bhutto Hospital. Authorities haven’t answered why such basic safety checks are being carried out only after a major tragedy has already occurred at another public hospital.
Instead of waiting for another accident, authorities need to ensure that fire safety inspections at hospitals are regular, documented and followed by corrective action. These exercises look pointless if launched only when a tragedy puts public safety under the spotlight.
The PIMS tragedy exposed the serious consequences of inadequate emergency preparedness at healthcare facilities, where patients can be particularly vulnerable during fires and other disasters.
The Rawalpindi administration has not indicated whether similar comprehensive safety inspections were conducted at Benazir Bhutto Hospital before Wednesday’s PIMS incident or whether any shortcomings identified during the latest visit had previously been reported.
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