Odisha Health Minister orders hospitals to strengthen fire safety preparedness

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling on Thursday reviewed fire safety preparedness across government-run healthcare institutions in the state and directed officials to strengthen fire safety measures to ensure patient safety.

Chairing a high-level meeting, Dr. Mahaling assessed the status of fire safety infrastructure in government medical colleges and hospitals, district headquarters hospitals and other healthcare establishments.

According to a recent UNI report, the review focused on the adequacy of existing safety measures, areas requiring improvement and compliance with previous directives issued by the Health Department.

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Emphasising that patient safety must remain the top priority, the Minister directed officials to conduct regular inspections of firefighting equipment, strengthen emergency response mechanisms and ensure strict adherence to prescribed fire safety norms.

"Providing quality healthcare services goes hand in hand with ensuring the safety of patients and healthcare personnel. Every institution must be fully prepared to tackle emergencies such as fire accidents through timely preventive measures and robust safety protocols," Dr. Mahaling said.

The Minister also directed health authorities to maintain continuous monitoring of fire safety systems and take proactive steps to eliminate potential hazards in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

The review meeting was attended by National Health Mission (NHM) Managing Director Dr. Brunda D, senior Health Department officials, and Chief District Medical and Public Health Officers (CDM&PHOs), besides deans and superintendents of medical colleges and hospitals from across the state through virtual mode.

Odisha has witnessed concerns over hospital fire safety during the past two years. The most devastating incident occurred at the Trauma Care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in March this year, when a fire allegedly triggered by an electrical short circuit claimed the lives of at least 12 patients and left several others injured, prompting a judicial probe and disciplinary action against officials.

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