A Christian nurse is being honored across Pakistan after risking her life to rescue a newborn from a hospital fire that killed 14 other infants.
Staff Nurse Razia Noreen was administering medication at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad when flames suddenly erupted inside the mother and child health ward on Aug. 26.
“I was administering medicine to the children when flames suddenly began emerging from an air conditioner,” Noreen said, according to Christian Daily International. “I wanted to save the other children too, but the fire left me helpless.”
Fifteen newborns were inside the nursery when the blaze began. Noreen managed to carry one infant to safety before the rapidly spreading flames overwhelmed the ward. The other 14 newborns died.
An inquiry found that the fire started when an air-conditioning unit exploded. The ward’s high concentration of oxygen caused the flames to spread rapidly, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said.
CCTV footage of Noreen’s rescue went viral, drawing praise from Christians, Muslims and other Pakistanis.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Noreen would receive the Sitara-i-Khidmat, or Star of Service, along with 10 million Pakistani rupees, approximately $35,850. Sharif praised her “exemplary responsibility and bravery” and said the entire nation was proud of her.
Noreen, however, said she was only fulfilling her responsibility.
“Nursing is about saving lives,” she said. “I did not do anyone a favor. It was my duty.”
Despite saving one child, Noreen said she remains deeply grieved over the infants she could not reach. She became emotional while recalling the tragedy and said it had left her unable to sleep.
Christian leaders said her actions demonstrated a faith expressed through sacrificial love.
Ejaz Alam Augustine, a Christian member of the Punjab Assembly, said Noreen displayed “the true meaning of living as a follower of Christ.” Saint Thomas Church in Islamabad said her courage reflected “the love of Christ and the true spirit of nursing.”
Sharif has suspended eight hospital officials and ordered criminal proceedings against anyone found responsible for negligence.
As Pakistan mourns 14 precious lives, we must pray for the grieving parents, the surviving infant and Noreen. In a moment of terror, she placed another life before her own and gave a watching nation a powerful example of the selfless love of Jesus.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
