ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services (NHS) Abdul Qadir Patel on Friday announced that the top most management of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) had been suspended.

However, the move shocked many in the health fraternity as the minister suspended the administrative head of the hospital without even seeking an explanation from the clinical head of the hospital, who was responsible for patient safety.

In a post on social media, the minister stated that the director of the hospital (Dr Khalid Masood), head of infectious diseases, director of Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) and in-charge pharmacy had been suspended.

However, according to Dr Masood, the minister did not have the power to suspend him as this was in violation of the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Act.

Hospital’s director says Mr Patel not authorised to do so under MTI Act

On July 1, the condition of three pregnant women in the gynae ward of Pims became critical and they had to be shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU). One of the patients died while the other two recovered and were later discharged.

On July 5, Mr Patel announced that he had taken notice of the alleged use of infected syringes at Pims, adding criminal proceedings would be initiated against the hospital management if the allegation was proved.

On July 6, a drug control team visited the store of gynaecology ward in Pims and took six samples of medicines and surgical items for testing.

The hospital management sent a report to the ministry about the three patients whose condition had become critical and one of whom had passed away.

It was claimed that the woman died due to brain haemorrhage and there was nothing wrong with the anaesthesia and surgical tools.

Samples were also sent to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) for a second opinion regarding the quality of anaesthesia and injections.

A three-member inquiry committee, headed by Associate Professor Dr Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, was constituted to probe the incident.

Other members of the committee are Assistant Prof Dr Naseem Akhtar and Dr Zoofeshan Jabeen Fatima.

Mr Masood said according to the MTI Act, the minister did not have the authority to suspend him.

“The MTI Act is fully enacted and it states that in case of any incident the minister or ministry can ask the Board of Governors (BoG) to hold an inquiry and send recommendations.

“If the ministry is not satisfied with the recommendations of the inquiry report, it can hold an inquiry on its own. Even in that case, the ministry cannot remove the director of the hospital but can recommend the BoG to take appropriate action,” he said.

A senior doctor of Pims said differences between the Pims management and the ministry had been increasing since the change of the government as the ministry wanted to take control of the hospital.

“It is a matter of shock for me to learn that administrative head of the hospital has been removed over an incident of death of a patient. Not even a show cause notice was issued to clinical head of the hospital, who is responsible for the patient safety.

“Unfortunately, this gives the impression that efforts are being made to get the administrative powers of the hospital rather than addressing the issues of patient safety,” he said.

According to sources in the health department, samples collected from the Pims store, on July 6, were sent to the lab but the report was yet to be received.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2022