Web Desk: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has stopped accepting new maternity cases after a fire severely damaged its neonatal nursery, leaving the hospital with reduced capacity, its executive director said.
PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar confirmed the decision in comments to Geo News, saying the hospital could not accommodate patients beyond its available capacity.
“We cannot keep more patients than our capacity,” Sikandar said, explaining the decision to turn away new maternity cases.
The move follows a fire in the hospital’s nursery that destroyed 15 beds, according to the executive director.
The nursery previously had 50 beds but now has 35 operational beds after the incident, significantly reducing the facility’s ability to accommodate newborns.
As a result, PIMS plans to redirect some children and patients to other hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Sikandar said PIMS had contacted other hospitals through formal letters to facilitate the transfer of patients and ease pressure on its remaining facilities.
Some children have already been shifted to the Polyclinic hospital, he added.
The hospital’s decision to suspend new maternity admissions is expected to increase pressure on other public and private healthcare facilities in the twin cities as authorities work to accommodate patients affected by the reduced capacity at PIMS.
Meanwhile, the hospital continues to assess its available facilities following the nursery fire and arrange transfers where necessary.
Read more: PIMS tragedy, reflection of system collapse in Pakistan
