Fire safety drills become mandatory for house officers

ISLAMABAD: After the Aug 26 incident at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in which 14 newborn babies died amid a fire eruption, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has decided to implement a training programme for house officers in all medical and dental colleges. The programme aims to raise fire safety awareness and preparedness, as well as to ensure the safety and well-being of doctors, patients, students and staff in healthcare institutions. Prof Dr Rizwan Taj, the PMDC president, stressed that the decision to implement a mandatory programme on fire safety for house officers will be incorporated into their house job. Drills will be conducted to teach participants about methods to ensure safety of patients in the event of a fire emergency and evacuation procedures to be followed. According to a statement, the decision follows a review of the existing fire safety protocols and the identification of areas that need improvement. “The PMDC recognises that there is a need to strengthen fire safety education and awareness in institutions under its regulatory umbrella. The PMDC is committed to quickly addressing the gaps and improving fire emergency preparedness among students, healthcare professionals, patients, and staff. “All medical colleges and teaching hospitals will have to ensure vigorous fire safety arrangements and effective emergency preparedness for the protection of students, house officers, patients, healthcare professionals and other staff, ” Dr Taj said. Improvement is also needed in the quality of hospital care for “the most vulnerable people” who depend on healthcare staff, he added. Dr Taj expressed interest in expanding the training programme to medical students and postgraduates, and eventually to all healthcare professionals. He outlined some of the measures that would be covered by the fire safety programme for house officers. The programme will include regular fire safety drills and evacuation exercises, to be conducted in medical colleges and teaching hospitals so that a culture of preparedness and prompt response was established. House officers will be trained to identify fire hazards, use extinguishers, follow evacuation routes, and communicate emergencies effectively. Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2026

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