New Delhi:The Union Health Ministry has asked States and Union Territories to take steps to prevent hospital fires during summer as temperatures escalate. The direction was given following a meeting that took place between the Union Health Ministry and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Health secretary Apurva Chandra in a letter dashed off to the chief secretaries of States and Union Territories asked them to ensure all accredited hospitals within their jurisdiction conduct thorough inspections, address discrepancies in electrical load capacity and obtain valid fire NOCs from respective state fire departments.
The States and UTs also urged to conduct follow-up reviews to ensure the implementation of critical safety measures. As temperatures escalate during the summer months, hospital fires become a significant threat. State Health Departments and State Disaster Management Authorities have been directed to work in close collaboration to ensure that all accredited hospitals within their jurisdiction conduct comprehensive fire safety audits and on-site inspections of all hospitals to assess fire safety compliance.