The fire that broke out in the NICU ward of Rani Lakshmibai Medical College, Jhansi shocked the entire state. 9 innocent children lost their lives in this accident, while treatment of 17 injured children is going on. This tragedy has raised questions on the security arrangements of government hospitals.
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Dr. Pradeep Kumar, CMS of the District Women’s Hospital, said that the hospital has all the necessary equipment to deal with the fire. Mock drills are conducted every week so that all the equipment works properly. NOC of fire system is pending at the engineer level, but it will also be obtained soon. Adequate fire extinguishing resources are available and employees have also been trained in the same.
Concern is increasing due to administrative laxity on fire safety While on one hand claims are being made about fire drills and regular checking of equipment in hospitals, the pending NOC related to fire safety points towards the shortcomings of the systems. Incidents like Jhansi are a warning that any negligence in fire safety protocol can be fatal for innocent lives.
Jhansi accident has once again exposed the safety management in government hospitals. When will these questions that arise after every accident end, and when will our systems become so strong that such painful accidents can be avoided?
