The hospital management describes the condition as Lazarus syndrome, submitted a sealed investigation report to the Minister of Health
RAWALPINDI:
A newborn baby who was pronounced dead by Holy Family Hospital and handed over to parents with an official death certificate remained alive for over 12 hours on and off a ventilator before dying. The Punjab Healthcare Commission has taken notice and launched an investigation, while the hospital called the incident Lazarus syndrome.
According to details, premature twins – a boy and a girl – were born to Rubina at Izzat Shah Hospital in Lala Rukh, Wah Cantt, and later shifted to Holy Family Hospital via ambulance. On December 31, 2025, doctors admitted the baby girl while declaring the boy dead and issuing a formal death certificate, which included written instructions to hand over the body to the family.
But when the baby was moved into the ambulance, a jolt caused the child to start breathing.
Oxygen was immediately administered and the parents returned to Holy Family Hospital with both the live baby and the death certificate.
The child was placed on a ventilator and breathing was restored.
The hospital management labeled the condition as Lazarus syndrome and submitted a sealed investigation report to the Minister of Health.
After surviving for more than 12 hours, the baby finally died and the body was handed over to the parents. The twin sister remains under treatment at Holy Family Hospital.
The Punjab Healthcare Commission has formed an inquiry committee headed by Deputy Director Humayun Anwar and sought medical records from both Holy Family Hospital and Izzat Shah Hospital.
