JOIN USOnly 3 hospitals are fire-compliant in State
Poor fire safety measures at hospitals became a matter of concern following the tragedy at AMRI Hospital in Kolkata in which 99 people perished. What is astonishing is that majority of the renowned hospitals in the State are functioning from buildings which have not been certified by the Fire department for safety measures. And the non-compliance is not because of absence of a legal framework, but for want of will to enforce the laws.
A no objection certificate has to be obtained from the Fire and Emergency Services before occupying/making use of a commercial building. The officials from the department conduct a spot inspection and suggest safety measures considering the purpose for which the building is used, its dimensions, the staff strength, the nearest approach road and its width etc. A total adherence to these suggestions could minimise, if not, avoid fire accidents.
However, many choose to bypass this crucial procedure before occupying buildings. The reason is not far to seek. The implementation of safety measures recommended by the department require investment of considerable money and no one is ready to do it, and the process is conveniently given a go by.
According to laws, the urban local bodies (corporation/City and town municipalities) should issue occupancy certificate before occupation of a newly constructed building. The local bodies should insist on a NoC from the Fire and Emergency Services before proceeding further. However, corruption and political interference side step all these norms, in the process turning the building vulnerable to fire emergencies. No wonder that only three hospitals – Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, ESI Hospital, both in Bangalore and the Government Medical College Hospital in Bidar – have complied with the norms.
The buildings housing Victoria, Bowring, Nimhans, Wenlock (Mangalore), hospitals visited by thousands of patients on a daily basis, are not certified by the Fire department. Only nine private hospitals have complied with the norm in the State.
Story on the other side
The Fire and Emergency Services too has its share of problems. Bangalore has about 20,000 high-rises and another 5,000 such buildings are located elsewhere in the State. All buildings exceeding 15 metre in height are considered high-rises. The department has no authority to check whether the building owners have carried out the modifications it had suggested before issuing the NoC. Of the sanctioned strength of 6,448 personnel, only 3,913 have been appointed to the department.
With hectic modern day life leading to various ailments, hospitals have become an integral part of daily life. Majority of the patients seeking treatment at government hospitals come from poor sections of society.
While Medical Education Minister S A Ramdas has said that he would obtain information on the safety aspects at hospitals, the exercise may take years together, given the number of hospitals in the State. And can patients’ lives be put at risk till then?
Case studies in deviations
MYSORE
KR Hospital, a 1,050-bed health facility is located at the heart of Mysore. The hospital is housed in a sprawling building. But the hospital lacks extinguishers, the basic firefighting equipment.
“Our hospital building is spacious and hence the possibility of a fire accident is remote. It is located in a conventional building giving little scope for alterations. We have written to the regional officer of the Fire and Emergency Services thrice and there has been no reply,” says Hospital Superintendent, Dr Geeta Avadhani.
The JSS Hospital in Agrahara fares better with fire extinguishers fitted at strategic locations in the building. The hospital will shift to a new building shortly. The new location complies with fire safety norms, said Superintendent Dr Veerabhadrappa.
C Gurulingaiah, the regional officer of the Fire Services said the hospitals staff had no idea of operating fire extinguishers. He said a majority of the hospitals do not send their personnel for training conducted by his department. “Now a day, hospitals are outsourcing their security system. Majority of the outsourced staff are aged and infirm persons” he said.
DAVANGERE
The district hospital (Chigateri hospital) is housed in a 50-year-old building. Some portions of the building are dilapidated and a woman worker died in a ceiling collapse recently.
There are no emergency exits for second and third floors. Age-old fire extinguishers have rusted and relegated to a corner. Chief Superintendent Dr Parashuramappa said there had been no fire incident in the past 50 years. He said maintenance of fire extinguishers is a Herculean task since the staff on duty keeps on shifting.
Fire preparedness is almost unheard of in majority of the hospitals in North and Hyderabad Karnataka. The heads of some hospitals directed the query on fire safety measures to their technicians. One cannot find hydrant systems, fire buckets and extinguishers at the 20-ward government hospital in Gulbarga.
HUBLI
The condition is worse in Dharwad Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences (DIMS). An officer of the Fire and Emergency Services, who wished to be unnamed, said there need not be any surprise if the Kolkata-type incident happens at DIMS. “There is no firefighting system in our hospital. Our authorities may come to senses only after a tragedy,” he said. Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and Chitaguppi Hospital are not housed in a multi-storey building. However, Fire officers say that none of the hospitals have a mechanism in place to fight accidental fire.
MANGALORE
The 165-year-old Wenlock Hospital too lacks fire safety measures. Except a small extinguisher in the operation theatre, there is no other fire fighting equipment in the hospital. Nor are the staff trained to tackle such emergencies. The preparedness at Lady Goshen Hospital is still worse. A senior doctor said repeated pleas to the government and the elected representatives to provide fire safety measures have fallen on deaf ears.