Jodhpur: A fire broke out late Sunday night in the acute care ward of Mathuradas Mathur Hospital in Rajasthan's Jodhpur, leaving a 30-year-old female patient severely injured. The fire burned one of her hands and the area near her neck, officials said.
Family members of the patient alleged that no medical staff or doctors were present in the ward at the time of the incident, forcing them to conduct the rescue operation on their own. The family members also alleged that the hospital staff arrived after a significant delay.
Hospital Superintendent Dr Naveen Kishoriya admitted that he was unaware of the incident until Monday morning. "The initial investigation suggests the fire may have been caused by the patient smoking a bidi," he stated.
This incident has drawn further scrutiny toward Mathuradas Mathur Hospital, which recently faced criticism for irregularities during a visit by the Chairman of the State Human Rights Commission. The commission expressed dissatisfaction with the hospital's standards and directed Dr Kishoriya to implement necessary improvements.
The acute care ward is a critical unit where serious patients are treated under the contact care of nursing staff and resident doctors. This tragedy comes on the heels of a major fire in the NICU ward of a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi on Saturday, which resulted in the death of several infants. The incident, caused by faulty electrical wiring, sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for stricter safety measures in healthcare facilities across the country.
The State Human Rights Commission is expected to take cognizance of the Jodhpur fire incident. Family members of the patient and other activists have demanded accountability and an immediate overhaul of safety protocols in government hospitals. Investigations into the exact cause of the fire are ongoing.
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