ISLAMABAD: The tragic deaths of 20 children — mostly newborns — at Pakpattan’s District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital have triggered public outrage, with an internal inquiry report failing to satisfy grieving families and observers.
The internal inquiry, initiated after five infants reportedly died on June 19 alone, confirmed a total of 20 deaths between June 16 and 22.
Fifteen of the deceased were neonates, some just hours or days old, requiring intensive medical care during their most vulnerable stage of life.
Inquiry Clears Doctors, Angers Families
To contain the backlash, a three-member internal committee was formed on June 21 under the supervision of Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Muddasir.
The committee’s findings stunned many: it cleared doctors and paramedics of any negligence or mishandling.
It claimed that all babies were in critical condition at the time of admission and had received appropriate medical attention.
However, the same report acknowledged “major deficiencies” in the hospital’s death documentation process.
It recommended that medical staff undergo refresher training on record-keeping, but no disciplinary action was proposed.
This outcome enraged the families of the deceased children, many of whom had earlier protested outside the hospital accusing staff of negligence and citing an oxygen shortage.
They are now calling for a transparent, independent external investigation into the deaths.
Blame Game, Suspensions, and Unanswered Questions
As controversy grew, the hospital’s Medical Superintendent Dr Adnan defended the medical staff, while administrative officials pointed fingers at the healthcare team for mismanagement.
This led to a blame game within the hospital.
In a significant move, five administrative officers — including finance, HR, procurement, and logistics staff — were removed from their positions on the directive of Health Secretary Dr Nadia Saqib.
This action raised further questions, as the internal report did not implicate them directly.
Why were administrative officers penalized when the medical committee attributed the deaths to the critical condition of patients and poor documentation?
Independent voices, including healthcare professionals and civil society members, have called for a full-scale, independent probe to determine accountability and restore public trust in the healthcare system.
