Action only after fire;

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The saying “only when a hospital catches fire does the system wake up” seems to be proving true. On March 16, a fire in a trauma ICU in Odisha claimed the lives of ten patients. Just 15 days later, an ICU in a private hospital in the city was gutted in another incident. Following these events, the health department has sprung into action and initiated fire safety measures at the civil hospital as well as sub-district and rural hospitals.

At the civil hospital, automatic fire suppression systems are being installed in critical areas such as the ICU, pharmacy, and storage sections. Large cylinders are being placed at multiple points as part of this system. In case of an emergency, these cylinders will automatically help control the fire. Officials from the health department stated that this system does not require water. Additionally, new fire extinguishers and water buckets have been placed across the hospital premises. Similar fire safety work is also being undertaken in three sub-district hospitals and eleven rural hospitals in the district, officials added.

Work funded through DPDC

Fire safety work in the civil hospital, as well as in rural and sub-district hospitals, is being carried out through a fund of Rs 7 crore from the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC). The system being installed is designed to control fires without the need for water.

— Dr Kamalakar Mudkhedkar, civil surgeon