Issuance of Fire NOC to Private hospitals once every five years: IMA Rajasthan

Jaipur: The Rajasthan branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) appealed to the state government to get done with the current rule mandating the renewal of fire safety certificates for hospitals every year and requested to change it to five years.

Distinguishing between fire safety measures and getting the fire No Objection Certificates (NOC), the doctors said that hospitals must ensure to adopt adequate fire safety measures for the safety of patients and medical staff.

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Private hospitals feel uncomfortable while undergoing inspection by the fire department every year for the renewal of fire NoC, said Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Stating that ensuring fire safety measures is different from getting a fire NoC every year, Dr Sunil Chugh, the president of IMA’s Rajasthan branch informed TOI, "We are ensuring fire safety measures at our hospitals. A fire NoC is something hospitals require for accreditation with National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme, Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS), for provisional registration under the Clinical Establishment Act and for other registrations and permissions."

IMA asked the government to change the current rules so hospitals would only have to get a fire NoC renewal certificate every five years instead of one.

According to the fire safety guidelines laid down by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH), It is mandatory for all hospitals to obtain a No Objection Certificate from the concerned Fire Department before the building can be occupied. The NOC is required to be renewed every year. According to rules, a multi-disciplinary committee, which has a Fire Safety Officer as a member, holds facility rounds at least once a year for non-clinical areas & twice a year for clinical areas.

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