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Health minister opposes ‘permanent’ staff in public sector hospitals

• Mustafa Kamal says not minister’s job to manage a hospital; says elected mayor or his team should be looking after Pims affairs • Suggests bringing in CEO from private sector; all hirings on contract, performance-basis • New Pims ED takes charge, vows to prioritise patient safety ISLAMABAD: Days after a tragic fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) claimed the lives of 14 newborn babies, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal seemingly stirred another hornet’s nest by suggesting that there should be no permanent employees at government-run hospitals. “There should be no permanent government scale employees in hospitals, they should all be employed on contract basis, and a CEO should be brought in from the private sector to run things effectively,” Mr Kamal said during an interview with Geo News on Sunday night. Lamenting that permanent employees were extremely powerful and embroiled their departments in litigation if they were ever dismissed, Mr Kamal touted his idea as the only ‘permanent solution’ to the prevailing rot in the country’s healthcare system. “Whoever performs and works should remain, everyone else should be let got. A CEO should be brought in [from the private sector] who should have full hiring-and-firing authority. They should get their annual budget approved from us and then be responsible for managing their affairs and ensuring accountability,” he said. Mr Kamal also noted that the inquiry report into the deadly fire in the gynae ward had found that only 120 seconds, or two minutes, elapsed between the first spark and the fire engulfing the entire Mother and Child Health Centre. When asked about a fire that had broken out in a Pims nursing hostel around a month ago, the health minister said he had only learnt of the incident after last week’s tragedy. He explained that at the time, a bulb in the waiting room of the nurse’s hostel had short-circuited and fell onto a sofa, which caught fire. He maintained that this incident was not reported to the ministry at any level, nor was it a major incident of the kind that would have been reported by the media. However, he maintained that the previous executive director (ED) had internally formed a committee to conduct an inquiry and provide a way forward. The report of that committee, he said, was only submitted to the ED just a day prior to last week’s tragedy. Referring to reports that he had already offered his resignation to PM Shehbaz, but was asked to hold off until the investigation into the incident concluded, Mr Kamal said the ministerial slot did not hold any meaning for him. He recalled how he had taken responsibility on the floor of the National Assembly. “When I am offering myself up for accountability, then no one should be spared… even though I am not at fault in any of this, but I do take responsibility as the minister,” he said. When asked about criticism against him and calls for his resignation – especially from the PPP – Mr Kamal regretted how the party was trying to link this to the issue of new administrative units, at a time when such a tragedy had taken place. However, Mr Kamal insisted that what transpired actually supports his viewpoint on the issue of new provinces . “If Islamabad were a separate administrative unit, with elected officials and a mayor who was directly elected by the people, they should be the ones tasked with running this hospital,” he said. Maintaining that he had to focus on larger issues, such as the country’s health policy, Mr Kamal insisted: “It should not be a minister’s job to run a hospital; it should be under an elected mayor”. To a question, he said that the new ED — who is the CEO of the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, had been appointed on the recommendation of the inquiry committee. He regretted that many of the top officials at such institutions considered themselves ‘kings’, since they were assured of the fact that no outsider could be brought in to take their place. “The new ED has been appointed after relaxing the rules; in principle no one can be brought in from outside… now we need post-facto cabinet approval for [the new ED’s appointment]. New ED takes charge Earlier, speaking to reporters after taking charge on Sunday, new Pims ED Dr Muhammad Salman said that patient safety would be his top priority. After taking charge of his post, Dr Salman visited different departments at the hospital and inspected arrangements in place. He also called a meeting of the heads of different departments and discussed the prevailing situation with them. Talking to media persons, he said : “Although it is a challenging situation but as responsibility has been given to me, I will try to prove myself. We will implement the recommendations of the inquiry committee and priority will be to ensure patient safety. The short term objective is to ensure that such incidents would not be repeated in future,” he said. Dr Salman said that other hazards will also be looked at. “There is heavy patient load on the hospital so it will also be managed. Referral system will also be made stronger so that the patient management would improve,” he said. Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Days after a tragic fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) claimed the lives of 14 newborn babies, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal seemingly stirred another hornet’s nest by suggesting that there should be no permanent employees at government-run hospitals.

“There should be no permanent government scale employees in hospitals, they should all be employed on contract basis, and a CEO should be brought in from the private sector to run things effectively,” Mr Kamal said during an interview with Geo News on Sunday night.

Lamenting that permanent employees were extremely powerful and embroiled their departments in litigation if they were ever dismissed, Mr Kamal touted his idea as the only ‘permanent solution’ to the prevailing rot in the country’s healthcare system.

“Whoever performs and works should remain, everyone else should be let got. A CEO should be brought in [from the private sector] who should have full hiring-and-firing authority. They should get their annual budget approved from us and then be responsible for managing their affairs and ensuring accountability,” he said.

Mr Kamal also noted that the inquiry report into the deadly fire in the gynae ward had found that only 120 seconds, or two minutes, elapsed between the first spark and the fire engulfing the entire Mother and Child Health Centre.

When asked about a fire that had broken out in a Pims nursing hostel around a month ago, the health minister said he had only learnt of the incident after last week’s tragedy.

He explained that at the time, a bulb in the waiting room of the nurse’s hostel had short-circuited and fell onto a sofa, which caught fire. He maintained that this incident was not reported to the ministry at any level, nor was it a major incident of the kind that would have been reported by the media.

However, he maintained that the previous executive director (ED) had internally formed a committee to conduct an inquiry and provide a way forward. The report of that committee, he said, was only submitted to the ED just a day prior to last week’s tragedy.

Referring to reports that he had already offered his resignation to PM Shehbaz, but was asked to hold off until the investigation into the incident concluded, Mr Kamal said the ministerial slot did not hold any meaning for him. He recalled how he had taken responsibility on the floor of the National Assembly.

“When I am offering myself up for accountability, then no one should be spared… even though I am not at fault in any of this, but I do take responsibility as the minister,” he said.

When asked about criticism against him and calls for his resignation – especially from the PPP – Mr Kamal regretted how the party was trying to link this to the issue of new administrative units, at a time when such a tragedy had taken place.

However, Mr Kamal insisted that what transpired actually supports his viewpoint on the issue of new provinces.

“If Islamabad were a separate administrative unit, with elected officials and a mayor who was directly elected by the people, they should be the ones tasked with running this hospital,” he said.

Maintaining that he had to focus on larger issues, such as the country’s health policy, Mr Kamal insisted: “It should not be a minister’s job to run a hospital; it should be under an elected mayor”.

To a question, he said that the new ED — who is the CEO of the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, had been appointed on the recommendation of the inquiry committee.

He regretted that many of the top officials at such institutions considered themselves ‘kings’, since they were assured of the fact that no outsider could be brought in to take their place. “The new ED has been appointed after relaxing the rules; in principle no one can be brought in from outside… now we need post-facto cabinet approval for [the new ED’s appointment].

New ED takes charge

Earlier, speaking to reporters after taking charge on Sunday, new Pims ED Dr Muhammad Salman said that patient safety would be his top priority.

After taking charge of his post, Dr Salman visited different departments at the hospital and inspected arrangements in place. He also called a meeting of the heads of different departments and discussed the prevailing situation with them.

Talking to media persons, he said : “Although it is a challenging situation but as responsibility has been given to me, I will try to prove myself. We will implement the recommendations of the inquiry committee and priority will be to ensure patient safety.

The short term objective is to ensure that such incidents would not be repeated in future,” he said.

Dr Salman said that other hazards will also be looked at. “There is heavy patient load on the hospital so it will also be managed. Referral system will also be made stronger so that the patient management would improve,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2026

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