States must conduct fire safety audits in all hospitals by July 31: Health Ministry
Bengaluru- In a significant move, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has directed all states and Union Territories to conduct fire safety audits of all government and private health facilities under a special campaign and upload the findings on the 'Integrated Health Information Platform' (IHIP) by July 31.
The special drive, which covers both public and private health care institutions, is to be completed by July 31, with the audit findings to be uploaded on the ministry's integrated health information platform, the letter said.
Union Health Secretary Punyasalila Srivastava issued the directive through a letter addressed to all states and Union Territories. She stated that fire safety should be made an integral part of daily hospital operations and patient safety protocols, rather than being treated as a one-time activity.
The letter further stated that 4,083 secondary-level public and private hospitals had reported the completion of fire safety audits on the IHIP portal during May. However, the actual number of audits conducted could be higher.
According to The Hindu news report, the Ministry has now asked states to ensure that all hospitals, including private hospitals and nursing homes, conduct monthly fire safety audits through the IHIP portal.
However, special emphasis has been placed on high-risk areas such as Intensive Care Units (ICUs), Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), nurseries, and other critical care units, where the consequences of a fire could be particularly severe.
The Ministry has also asked states to widely disseminate the updated national guidelines on fire and life safety in healthcare facilities among healthcare institutions, in order to strengthen preparedness and reduce the risk of fire-related incidents.
The Health Secretary urged states to personally monitor this process and ensure that fire safety in health facilities remains a constant priority.
