Delhi hospitals conduct high-intensity mock drill to boost emergency preparedness
Lok Nayak Hospital simulation
New Delhi: As part of a nationwide initiative led by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), hospitals across Delhi participated in a high-intensity mock drill on Wednesday to assess their preparedness for large-scale emergencies and emerging threats. Sirens blared, stretchers crowded hospital entrances, and instructions echoed over loudspeakers, creating an atmosphere of urgency as the capital joined the countrywide exercise.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had earlier instructed all states and union territories to participate in the nationwide drill, held a day after Operation Sindoor, which has altered India’s posture in responding to regional security threats, particularly from Pakistan.
At exactly 4 p.m., chaos unfolded on the roads leading to Delhi’s major hospitals, such as Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and Lok Nayak Hospital. Ambulances began to queue up rapidly, while medical staff rushed to manage a sudden surge of patients. The commotion followed an urgent directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which instructed hospitals to enhance their preparedness in response to emerging and complex threats.
At RML Hospital, chaos appeared orchestrated yet intense as medical teams received simulated patients brought in through Gate No. 3. Within minutes, doctors and nurses moved swiftly to receive and assess the incoming cases. Despite the ongoing emergency preparedness drill, the hospital maintained its regular operations, with medical staff simultaneously managing both the exercise and ongoing patient consultations and treatments.
As per the news reports, volunteers like 45-year-old Daulat Ram, a civil defence worker, were part of the simulation. He was placed on mock saline drips and asked for emergency contact details by police personnel present at the spot. Ram said that it was his first time participating in a mock drill. He was only instructed to scream and pretend to have been hit in an airstrike. So, the ground fell on him while he screamed.
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Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Dr Ajay Shukla, medical superintendent, RML Hospital, said, “We received around 20 patients as part of the drill. While this exercise was aimed at evaluating the hospital’s preparedness for real-time situations, we have made further concrete plans for the hospital in such a situation. As of now, we have informed all doctors that during a real-life situation like this, all hands will be put on deck and hence, they have to be prepared for it. We have made other emergency arrangements at the hospital to gear up for such a scenario.”
Similar mock drills were carried out at Lok Nayak Hospital, where eight dummy patients were received following a simulated blast at Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant and the Civic Centre.
According to Hindustan Times, “We have made all arrangements today to handle such a situation, and have briefed the staff on how to respond quickly in an emergency such as this one. HODs (heads of departments) of different departments were also made part of the mock drill, as multidisciplinary intervention is required during crises,” a senior official of the hospital said.
Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh enacted a large-scale air strike scenario, resulting in a building collapse. The response included collaboration with the Delhi Police, NDRF, Fire Department, Forensic teams, CATS, and Civil Defence units.
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Approximately 10 simulated casualties were transferred from Fortis to Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, using Red Health and CATS ambulances. The Delhi Traffic Police coordinated a swift green corridor to ensure the uninterrupted transport of patients.
Mock drills were conducted across several other government-run facilities including Babu Jag Jivan Hospital in Jahangirpuri, DDU Hospital in Hari Nagar, Charak Palika Hospital, Government Hospital in Burari, and ESIC Hospital. Prominent private hospitals like Apollo and Fortis Healthcare also participated in the mandatory exercise.
The DCP of North-West Delhi shared a post on the X platform about a Mock Drill conducted at BJRM Hospital to assess emergency preparedness and strengthen coordinated response systems.
