Keep our hospitals fire-proof

It is the sick who head for hospitals to seek relief from pain and distress. But news reports suggest that nursing homes and hospitals have been turning into virtual death traps all across the country on a regular basis. Caravans of inmates dying due to fire have been rolling out of the portals of poorly equipped facilities that have either found clearance from the authorities or operate in complete breach of protocols. Latest to join them is Amravati District Women’s Hospital where three new new-borns were killed in a fire that broke out in the neo natal intensive care unit of the hospital in the wee hours of Monday (August 23).

The fire incident was sequel to an explosion in a ventilator. Amravati incident is not unique. In the last five years, 104 inmates, mostly new-borns have died in ten near-identical incidents occurring across the nation. Majority of the inci dents happened in ICU, neonatal care centres or trauma care centres. Invariably, the reasons cit ed for the fire incident ranged from failure of authorities to seek NOC (no objection certificates) from Fire Force; extension of capacity without due clearance; poor upkeep of the firefighting equipment; employing doctors who didn’t possess the required medical degrees; and generally being understaffed.

In one case of fire, in the Maharani Rani Laxmibai Medical College Hospital in Jhansi (in November 2024), the special new-born care centre was found to have 49 new-borns instead of authorised capacity for 18. Incidentally, 18 new-borns perished in the fire caused by electrical short circuit. A latest study of these incidents reveals that all the accused in the ten incidents have secured bail and not a single accused named in the FIRs is in custody. Nor even a single individual has so far been convicted