Govt removes Dr Muhammad Salman as PIMS Executive Director

The federal government has made major administrative changes at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), once again changing the leadership of the capital’s largest public-sector hospital, 24NewsHD TV reported on Monday.

According to separate notifications issued by the Ministry of National Health Services on October 5, Prof Dr Tanveer Khaliq, Vice Chancellor of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, has been given the additional charge of Executive Director PIMS (BS-21).

Prof Dr Tanveer Khaliq will perform the additional duties for three months or until the appointment of a regular executive director, whichever comes first. 

The notification also directed Dr Muhammad Salman, who had been serving as PIMS executive director, to return to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and immediately resume his original departmental responsibilities.

Dr Salman had been appointed PIMS executive director after an interim inquiry into the deadly fire at the hospital’s Mother and Child Health Centre neonatal nursery.

The August 26 fire claimed the lives of 14 newborn babies, while the inquiry identified serious shortcomings in fire safety, emergency response and arrangements for evacuating infants.

The Islamabad High Court recently directed the federal government to submit its response and inquiry report in petitions related to the PIMS fire and the removal of the hospital’s executive director.

In another major appointment, Prof Dr Brigadier (retd) Azmat Hayat, Prof of Electrophysiology at PIMS, has been given the additional charge of Joint Executive Director (Medical), PIMS.

According to the notification, Dr Azmat Hayat will hold the additional charge for three months or until a regular officer is appointed, whichever comes first.