Lok Sabha Question No. 643 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-18
Subject: Fire Safety in Hospitals
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL, ABHISHEK SINGH, PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 643 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH NOVEMBER, 2016

## FIRE SAFETY IN HOSPI TALS

## 643. SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK: SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL: SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH: SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  taken note  of  recent  fire  incidents  in  Government Hospitals across the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the casualties caused and the action taken/ proposed to be taken to check such incidents in future, State/UT -wise;

(c)  The  number  of  hospitals  in  the country  that  fulfill  fire  safety  measures  as per  National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Health Care Providers (NABH)

(d) Whether the Government proposes to conduct safety audit of Central Hospitals, if so, the details thereof; and

(e)  Whether  the  Government  is considering  to  make  changes  in  existing  laws to cancel  the licenses of those hospitals who do not fulfill fire safety measure, if so, details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)

(a) & (b): Public Health and hospitals' is a Stat e subject and it is the primary responsibility of State/UT Governments to ensure adherence of healthcare facilities to safety norms inc fire safety. The Central Government is not aware of any fire incident in a government hos recent past. How ever, it has taken note of recent fire incident at SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswa copy of factual report received from State Government of Odisha is at Annexure

The Ministry has issued advisory to all States/UTs on 21st October, 2016 and also circ pro visions on fire safety in the Unified Building Bye laws 2016, Delhi and National Bui Code for guidance/reference.

(c): No such data is maintained in the Ministry However, as per in formation available on the NABH Website ,422 Hospitals are presently a ccredited with NABH.

(d) & (e): The Ministry has instructed all Central Government hospitals/Institutes to obt from  fire  department  in  a  time bound  manner  where  not  available.  A  Committee  has  been constituted in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to prepare guidelines on fire sa its implementation in hospital buildings. The Committee has advised Safdarjung Hospital RML Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated hospitals to consult Cent Building Research Institute , Roorkee regarding fire safety audit.

## Fire Incident at SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar

A fire broke out at around 7.30 p.m. in SUM Hospital and Medical College, Bhubaneswar on 17.10.2016. The cause believably is electrical short circuit. However the inquiry is on. spark is said to have been caused in a space between Dialysis unit and Medicine ICU. The bedded hospital had the o ccupancy of more than 600 at the time of accident.

Immediately after hearing the news, 19 Government Ambulances were deployed to the hospit toevacuate the patients. Private Hospital ambulances were also mobilized for the purpose. In all, 138 people were shifted  from  SUM Hospital  to  various  private  and  Government  Hospitals  in Bhubaneswar and SCB Medical College & Hospital, Cuttack. (Status at Appendix). The rescue, evacuation  and  inter - facility  transfer  of  the  evacuated  patients  were  supervised  by C ommissioner, Police and Collector of the District. Senior Fire Officers were present at and monitoring the dousing of fire and bringing out of the trapped patients

Of those shifted, 14 were brought dead to Capital Hospital and 5 were brought d ad to AMRI Hospital, Bhubaneswar. One more person died at AIIMS early morning. At Capital Hospital and other  hospitals,  Government  officers  and  additional  doctors  were  deployed  to ensure  proper treatment.  Hon'ble  Chief  Minister  announced  setting  up  of an  enqu iry  committee  under  the Chairmanship  of  Revenue  Divisional  Commissioner,  Central  Division,  Cuttack  and  als announced the treatment would be free for all patients. He visited the patients at Capital Hospital at night and at AIIMS and AMRI in the morning

Post Mortem of the 19 deceased (14 from Capital Hospital and 5 from AMRI Hospital) were done at Capital Hospital in the intervening night of 17 th and 18 th and all the deceased and their families were provided free transport to their home districts as well as to Swargadwar at Puri. thedead bodies were handed over to the families and next of kin by 5.30 in the mornin Control  Room  has  been  set  up  to  coordinate  the treatm nt  being  provided  to  the  re - located pat ients in different hospitals.

State Government is bearing the treatment cost of all patients evacuated from SUM hospita to the fire incident. The Hon'ble Chief Minister has also announced ex - gratia of Rs. 5 lakhs for the families of each deceased.

FIRs  against  IMR  &  SUM  hospital  have  been  filed  by  the  Health  Department  and  the  Fir services establishment. Appropriate action has been initiated against the hospital authori the Clinical Establishments Act. So far 5 persons have been arrested i n connection with the case.

Out of the 138 evacuated patients, the total death till date is 26. 28 are under treatm have been discharged.

| Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   | Status of the patients moved from SUM Hospital   |
|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                          | Name of Hospital                                 | Patients receive d                               | Broug ht dead                                    | Total                                            | Died at Hosp ital                                | Patient dischar ged                              | LAMA                                             | Received treatmen t out of initial admissio n    | Shifted into /Out                                | Now under treatmen t                             |
| 1                                                | 2                                                | 3                                                | 4                                                | 5                                                | 6                                                | 7                                                | 8                                                | 9=5- (4+6+7+8 )                                  | 10                                               | 11                                               |
| 1                                                | AMRI                                             | 34                                               | 5                                                | 39                                               | 2                                                | 19                                               | 4                                                | 9                                                | (+) 2                                            | 11                                               |
| 2                                                | Kalinga                                          | 4                                                | 0                                                | 4                                                | 0                                                | 2                                                | 0                                                | 2                                                | 0                                                | 2                                                |
| 3                                                | ADITYA CARE                                      | 4                                                | 0                                                | 4                                                | 0                                                | 2                                                | 0                                                | 2                                                | 0                                                | 2                                                |
| 4                                                | KIMS                                             | 14                                               | 0                                                | 14                                               | 0                                                | 11                                               | 0                                                | 3                                                | 0                                                | 3                                                |
| 5                                                | HI- TECH                                         | 8                                                | 0                                                | 8                                                | 0                                                | 7                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                |
| 6                                                | APOLLO                                           | 6                                                | 0                                                | 6                                                | 2                                                | 3                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                | (+)4                                             | 5                                                |
| 7                                                | AIIMS                                            | 30                                               | 0                                                | 30                                               | 2                                                | 24                                               | 0                                                | 4                                                | (- )1                                            | 3                                                |
| 8                                                | Capital Hospital                                 | 6                                                | 14                                               | 20                                               | 0                                                | 2                                                | 0                                                | 4                                                | (- )4                                            | 0                                                |
| 9                                                | SCB ,Cuttack                                     | 6                                                | 0                                                | 6                                                | 1                                                | 3                                                | 2                                                | 0                                                | (+) 1                                            | 1                                                |
| 10                                               | Vivekananda                                      | 5                                                | 0                                                | 5                                                | 0                                                | 5                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                |
| 11                                               | Nilachala                                        | 1                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                | (- )1                                            | 0                                                |
| 12                                               | SPARSH                                           | 1                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 0                                                | 1                                                | (- )1                                            | 0                                                |
|                                                  | Total                                            | 119                                              | 19                                               | 138                                              | 7                                                | 78                                               | 6                                                | 28                                               | 0                                                | 28                                               |
| Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  | Total Death -26                                  |