SAHIWAL: A fifth baby, who was rescued from the pediatric ward of Sahiwal Teaching Hospital on Saturday after a fire erupted, died on Sunday.

The fire had broken out in the pediatric ward due to a short circuit in the air conditioning system. The hospital management stated that the deaths were not linked to the fire or suffocation, as these babies were already admitted to the ICU due to their life-threatening conditions.

According to the hospital handout, the causes of death for the five babies were: premature birth with RDS respiratory failure; TORCH infection; hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy grade II and SEPSIS leading to multiple organ failure.

Despite the hospital explanation, the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department secretary has made a three-member committee to investigate the causes of death of five babies at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital.

The committee comprises Dr Tipu Sultan of the Children Hospital Lahore, Prof Tayyab Butt of Services Hospital Lahore, and Dr Abdul Rehman, deputy secretary (technical). The committee will submit its report in two days.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2024