BHUBANESWAR: Close on the heels of SUM Hospital inferno, the State Government on Friday instructed all Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs) and district Collectors to take appropriate action as prescribed under Clinical Establishment Act (CEA) against violators who have not taken any measures to prevent fire incidents in health facilities.
Underlining that powers of supervising authority have been delegated to the district Collectors, Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department Arti Ahuja shot off letters to the divisional and district chiefs urging them to adhere to the regulations framed in the Act.
''In the view of the recent fire mishap in SUM Hospital, which is currently under inquiry, it is necessary to take appropriate action under the existing laws and guidelines to ensure that such incidents do not occur anywhere else,'' the letter stated.
The CEA amendment has been approved in the Assembly and is in the process of notification, the letter said and added that the amendments and subsequently, the rules will be communicated for action.
Ahuja maintained that under the present Act and as per the delegation of powers, the task force constituted for inspection of clinical establishments should become proactive.
The task force comprising Collector, SP and CDMO of districts, CMO of Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar and RGH, Rourkela should immediately inspect all private clinical establishments including private medical colleges and in facilities where dereliction of non-compliance is found, necessary action must be taken under both CEA and Fire Safety Act without affecting patient care, she added.
For Government hospitals, it has been decided that a joint team of Energy Department and Fire Safety officers will examine all Government health institutions from sub-divisional hospital level and above and Works Department will ensure compliance of the deficiencies within one month. The Collectors have been asked to monitor it personally and ensure that the inspection is done expeditiously.