Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has appointed a new executive director and joint executive director nearly six weeks after the hospital fire that resulted in the deaths of 15 newborn babies. The new appointments have raised questions among hospital doctors and staff because the executive director’s additional charge has been assigned to Prof Dr Tanwir Khaliq, who reportedly retired several years ago.
According to official notifications, Prof Dr Tanwir Khaliq, who is currently serving as vice chancellor of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad, has been given the additional charge of executive director (BPS-21) at PIMS for three months or until a regular officer is appointed. He will continue his existing responsibilities at SZABMU during this period.
Dr Mohammad Salman, who had been serving as PIMS executive director, has been repatriated to his parent department, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Islamabad.
A separate notification appointed Prof Dr Brigadier (Retired) Azmat Hayat, Professor of Electrophysiology at PIMS, as joint executive director (Medical) on additional charge for three months or until the appointment of a regular incumbent.
The appointments have attracted criticism and raised concerns among senior doctors. One hospital doctor questioned how Prof Dr Tanwir Khaliq, who reportedly retired around six years ago, would manage the additional responsibility of heading the country’s largest hospital while continuing his university duties.
Questions have also been raised over the appointment of Prof Dr Brigadier (Retired) Azmat Hayat, who was reportedly working at PIMS as a contractual employee before being given the additional charge of joint executive director.
The administrative changes come after a serious fire incident at PIMS in August in which 14 newborn babies initially died, followed by the death of another infant. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had taken notice of the incident, after which eight officers were suspended.
The latest appointments are expected to bring administrative changes at PIMS, but the concerns raised by hospital doctors highlight the need for transparent appointments and effective leadership at the major public-sector healthcare facility.
