MP: Health authorities issue second notice to private hospitals seeking fire NOC details

Indore: Following the massive fire incident at Jabalpur New Life hospital, the District health administration has issued a second notice to private hospitals seeking details of fire No-objection Certificate (NOC) in seven days.

The massive fire that broke out at the hospital led to the death of at least nine to ten people prompting the health authorities to issue notice to the private hospitals in Indore after it was reported that the fire NOC of the Jabalpur New Life hospital was expired.

Failing to provide the details of the fire NOC in an order issued to the private hospitals on August 2 by the health authorities in three days, the authorities were forced to re-issue the notice demanding the details in seven days.

Also read- MP: Massive Fire At Jabalpur Hospital, 10 People Charred To Death

In order to avoid any inconvenience to the private hospitals in Indore, the health authorities also increased the days of submission of the details of the fire NOC.

According to the records provided by the district health authorities around 40 applications are pending for renewal of license, over 20 don't get fire NOC and the authorities are unaware of the details of hospitals with require fire safety NOC.

Last year in November, around 128 private hospitals were audited for fire safety measures and over 100 were found lacking facilities.

Medical Dialogues team previously reported about the preliminary probe into the Jabalpur New Life hospital fire incident had revealed that the fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) had expired besides several shortcomings regarding fire safety.

Also read- Jabalpur Hospital Fire: One Absconding Doctor Arrested, Search On To Nab Three More

As per the preliminary investigation, the hospital had taken a provisional fire No Objection Certificate last March but its validity expired in March this year.

Police registered a case of culpable homicide against four doctors-cum-owners of the hospital and arrested its manager, a day after the devastating blaze killed eight persons, including four patients.

One of the four absconding doctors-cum-owners of the private hospital in Jabalpur was arrested in this regard.

CMHO Dr BS Saitya told TOI "We have issued a second notice to private hospitals giving them seven days time to provide details of fire NOC. The details of the hospital running without fire NOC aren't provided on earlier notice."