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Editorial: Lesson from PIMS

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The Islamabad tragedy should prompt Sindh to examine the gap between healthcare regulation and its enforcement T he fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), in which 14 newborn babies lost their lives, has understandably brought hospital safety and institutional accountability into sharp focus. But beyond the immediate questions of how the fire started and who may be responsible lie a larger question: what happens when the regulatory framework designed to prevent such failures does not function with the consistency and authority intended by law? The reported absence of a fire-safety clearance at PIMS, followed by questions about the performance of the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA), has made the role of healthcare regulators part of the national conversation. The issue is not simply whether a hospital possesses a licence. A licence, at its most meaningfulness, should signify that minimum standards of safety, infrastructure, staffing, emergency pr...
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Mithi Civil Hospital NICU records 8.9% mortality rate this year

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315 newborn deaths out of 3,535 admissions, hospital serves as referral hub for 3 districts IV Report MITHI: Civil Hospital Mithi’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit recorded a mortality rate of 8.9% in 2026 so far, with 315 newborn deaths recorded through August. The facility averaged 39 fatalities per month during the eight-month period. Official hospital data shows that out of 3,535 total admissions, 2,819 infants or 79.7% recovered and were successfully discharged home. Another 328 cases or 9.3% were referred to better-equipped tertiary centers for advanced treatment. Seventy-three cases or 2.1% were recorded as Left Against Medical Advice. Case breakdown: Of the 315 recorded deaths, 250 were residents of Tharparkar district. The remaining 65 fatalities involved high-risk newborns referred from neighboring districts including Mirpurkhas, Badin and Umerkot. Hospital records state these infants arrived in extremely fragile condition with severe complications, according to offcia...
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Larkana to host certified BLS hub for upper Sindh

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DUHS-SMBBMU MoU aims to train local emergency responders, cut travel for certification IV Report KARACHI: Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a certified Basic Life Support (BLS) training centre in Larkana, according to a DUHS press release. The MoU was signed at the Vice Chancellor’s Secretariat, DUHS, Karachi. From DUHS, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Nazli Hussain, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Sajida Qureshi, Registrar Dr Ashar Afaq, Director PDC Dr Syed Farjad Sultan, Muhammad Irfan, Imran Ahmed and members of the Training Centre team attended. Representing SMBBMU were Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Nusrat Shah, Director DHPE Dr Saira Fatima and Training Location Coordinator Dr Muhammad Imran Soomro. According to DUHS high officials, the centre will provide internationally certified BLS training to doctors, nurses, paramedics and students from Larkana and...
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The Big Picture: Prevent Proactively, or Just React

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In Sindh, especially Karachi, we keep responding to crises instead of building systems that stop them By Mukhtar Alam Every time there’s a fire safety lapse in a big hospital, we have the same conversation. The news cycle runs for 48 hours. Questions are asked. Promises are made. And then, slowly, we go back to business as usual. The recent tragedy at PIMS, Islamabad — where 14 newborns lost their lives — brought that conversation back with painful urgency. We wish wellness and strength to the families affected. But if we look past the headlines, the real question isn’t about one building or one night. It’s about the system that’s supposed to keep thousands of buildings safe every single day. Let’s talk about Sindh. And more specifically, Karachi — because this is where the maximum number of healthcare establishments are located. Both government and private. From small clinics in North Karachi to large tertiary hospitals in Clifton, this city carries the biggest burden of patie...
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Japan eyes foreign students for labour gaps, academic tells HU

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Toyo University professor cites 10,000+ scholarships, part-time work and rising graduate employment IV Report KARACHI: Japan’s ageing population and declining birth rate have created significant labour gaps across multiple sectors, prompting its government and universities to attract more international students, including from Pakistan, a senior visiting Japanese professor said at Hamdard University on Thursday. Prof Dr Susumu Nijema of Toyo University told faculty and students that Japan’s birth rate has fallen far below its death rate, creating personnel shortages “in almost every sector.” “We need young people... because our total population is declining and the average age is rising,” he said. The cultural anthropologist said international students who meet required academic and language qualifications can obtain student visas easily. He added that more than 10,000 scholarships are available, including MEXT government and university-funded programs, with some being fully ...
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Major cardiac care facility opens in North Nazimabad

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Saifee Hospital’s new 11-storey wing adds 75 beds and full range of advanced heart treatment to District Central IV Report KARACHI: Karachi’s healthcare network got a major boost on Saturday evening with the inauguration of an 11-storey dedicated Cardiac Wing at Saifee Hospital in North Nazimabad, District Central. The new wing is designed as a purpose-built centre for comprehensive cardiovascular care, consolidating emergency response, diagnostics, interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery, intensive care, inpatient recovery and rehabilitation in one facility. The project was developed under the patronage of Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community. It adds significant capacity to a privately run hospital that already serves approximately 360,000 patients annually and nearly 1,000 visitors daily through its emergency and outpatient departments. Construction of the wing began in early 2022. The 11-storey facility has been equipped with ne...
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PMA threatens nationwide protest over PIMS fire deaths

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Association seeks judicial probe, removal of PIMS administration and nationwide safety audit IV Report KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), the major representative body of doctors in the country, has threatened nationwide protests if the government fails to accept its demands for accountability and comprehensive safety audits following the deaths of 14 newborns in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, less than 36 hours after the incident, the PMA recalled several other major fire and safety-related incidents in healthcare facilities across the country, arguing that the PIMS tragedy was part of a recurring pattern of administrative and structural failures rather than an isolated event. The association demanded a transparent inquiry into the PIMS management by a serving judge of the highest court, removal of the hospital’s executive administration and other officials responsible for facili...
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