New Delhi: The tragic death of seven infants at the Baby Care New Born Child Hospital in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar on Saturday has highlighted the the large-scale flouting of norms by such hospitals with over 800 such hospitals in the national capital operating without clearance from the Fire Department, police probe has revealed.
The seven infants were charred to death while five others were injured after the children's hospital was gutted in a massive blaze on Saturday. Police have already arrested the owner of the hospital along with the on-duty doctor at the time of the incident with police saying that hospital was operating illegally with an "expired" license and no clearance from the fire department.
Police probe into the hospital blaze has suggested that the flouting of norms by the hospital is only the tip of the iceberg with more than 800 such hospitals operating without clearance from the Fire Department.
Police officials associated with the probe into the Children's hospital blaze said that investigation has revealed that there are 1000 such small and big government and private hospitals in Delhi, out of which only 196 have fire NOC with the rest of the hospitals being operated without such clearance thereby putting life and property at risk.
This means if a fire breaks out in these hospitals, it will be difficult for the patients and staff to escape and these hospitals will be left at the mercy of God in case of a disaster. Questions are being raised as to how these hospitals managed to get the license without fire NOC. The licenses are being granted to the hospitals by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), which finds itself in the dock now.
- Read more: Delhi Hospital Blaze: Many Unanswered Questions Crop Up on Safety of Newborns
- Delhi Hospital Fire: Court Sends Owner, Another Doctor to 3-Day Police Custody
