HYDERABAD: Days after five infants were killed due to a fire at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), the state government on Thursday released `11.1 crore for urgent repairs and infrastructure restoration at the state-run hospital in Adilabad, even as the Health department ordered comprehensive fire, electrical and structural safety audits of all government and private hospitals within a month.
Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarsimha directed officials to take up the RIMS works immediately following a field-level assessment by the district administration and various departments.
Of the funds, `5 crore has been earmarked for toilet and bathroom repairs, `1.6 crore for CC pavements and the damaged compound wall, and `1 crore each for restoration of the Special Newborn Care Unit and painting hospital buildings. Another `1.5 crore will be used for urgent oxygen pipeline repairs and `1 crore for electrical works.
At a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat, Rajanarsimha directed officials to complete safety audits of all government and private hospitals within 30 days. Fire and electrical audits will be conducted every six months and structural audits annually. He stressed that audit findings must be followed by corrective action within specified timelines.
The government is also preparing a special GO with comprehensive fire-safety guidelines and a standard hospital checklist covering fire alarms, extinguishers, hydrants, sprinklers, emergency exits, electrical systems, DG sets, air-conditioning units, oxygen systems and evacuation protocols.
ICUs, operation theatres, SNCUs, NICUs, dialysis units and emergency departments will be designated as sensitive zones and will require specific safety protocols and evacuation plans. Hospital staff will also undergo regular mock drills.
District-level committees headed by collectors, with health, energy, fire services and R&B officials, will monitor safety. A state-level committee headed by the health minister will review audits and corrective measures. Rajanarsimha stressed that patient safety must not be compromised and directed officials to strengthen monitoring in both government and private hospitals.
State plans fire safety G.O.
The government is also preparing a special GO with comprehensive fire-safety guidelines and a standard hospital checklist. ICUs, OTs, SNCUs, NICUs, dialysis units and emergency departments will be designated as sensitive zones and will require specific safety protocols and evacuation plans. Hospital staff will also undergo regular mock drills.