Dr Salman appointed New PIMS Executive Director

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has appointed Dr Muhammad Salman, an executive director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as the Executive Director of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a period of three years.

According to a notification issued on Sunday, PIMS Executive Director Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikandar has been suspended for four months following the recent PIMS tragedy.

Dr Muhammad Salman will continue to serve as Executive Director of the NIH alongside his new responsibilities at PIMS.

The notification also appointed Dr Altaf Hussain as Joint Executive Director of PIMS for three months. Separate administrative orders have also been issued regarding other departments of the hospital.

The development comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the immediate suspension of eight officials and ordered action in connection with the PIMS tragedy.

Those facing suspension included PIMS Executive Director Professor Dr Imran Sikandar, Joint Executive Directors Dr Mutahir Shah and Dr Owais Ali Shah, Dr Nosheela Amjad, Assistant Director Security Muhammad Usman, CDA Emergency Services Director General Abdul Rehman, Head of the Neonatal Department Dr Saadia Riaz and a senior registrar.

The government has also initiated action against the private security company and its officials deployed at the hospital.

The PIMS tragedy, in which 14 newborn babies died, has prompted investigations into hospital safety arrangements, emergency response and administrative oversight.