Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha speaks during a press meet at Secretariat
Center-Center-HyderabadHYDERABAD: Officials on Thursday informed Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha that fire alarms and smoke detectors in many of the government hospitals in the state were dysfunctional and there had been no maintenance for over five years.
The officials also informed that as per the report submitted by a task force inspecting safety measures, there were no fire alarms and smoke detectors in many other hospitals.
Rajanarsimha was chairing a review of diagnostic equipment, fire safety, medicine and other facilities in government hospitals.
Reacting to the report, he made it clear that there should be no negligence in fire safety and that measures must be taken to address the safety lacunae in the government hospitals in a stipulated time frame.
During the meeting, the health minister made certain new decisions to improve accessibility and management of government hospitals.
Accordingly, a new centralised integrated monitoring system from state to primary health centres at mandal levels will be set up soon.
In addition, a new portal will also be launched for monitoring drugs and medical equipment in the government hospitals.
The minister also ordered the creation of the post of chief biomedical engineer at the state level and directed officials to issue orders to this effect.
Rajanarasimha warned of strict action against those responsible for hoarding medicines or surgical items and ordered the officials to conduct regular inspections of pharmacies.