The Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory to the states regarding measures to prevent fires in hospitals during the summer months and instructions have been given to ensure that they conduct thorough inspection of all the hospitals within their jurisdiction.

Mainly eliminate the discrepancy in power load capacity. Apart from this, also check and confirm the fire extinguisher and its NOC etc., so that fire incidents can be prevented.

As temperatures rise during the summer months, fires become a greater threat in hospitals. To prevent this, the Union Health Ministry and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) have issued a joint advisory for all states/UTs. After which Hamidia management has taken the decision to remove illegal parking of vehicles in Hamidia Hospital so that in case of fire, the fire brigade etc. do not have to face problems.

Superintendent of Hamidia Hospital, Dr. Sunit Tandon said that apart from the parking around Hamidia, vehicles are also parked in the remaining area. New space will be generated for unauthorised vehicles in Hamidia.

Superintendent of Hamidia Hospital, Dr. Sunit Tandon said that the area behind Block-2 of Hamidia is rough. Apart from the parking around Hamidia, vehicles are also parked in the remaining area. If a fire situation arises, it will be difficult for the fire brigade to come, hence this area will be leveled and an empty area will be created. Due to which, when the vehicles parked nearby will move from here, this area will also become free.

Actually, there is a multilevel parking in the hospital premises, but it is at the main gate of the hospital. The new buildings of the hospital are quite far from here. Such patients and their families along with doctors and staff do not park their vehicles in multilevel parking. Due to this, vehicles get parked here and there and a traffic jam is created in the hospital.

Conduct comprehensive fire safety audit/on-site inspection of all hospitals to assess fire safety compliance. Ensure that fire fighting systems, including fire alarms, fire smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, fire hydrants and fire lifts, are in place and fully functioning.

Hospitals should conduct regular electrical load audits, especially when new equipment is added or locations are converted to ICUs. Any identified discrepancies should be corrected immediately.

Hospitals should obtain valid fire no objection certificates (NOC) from state fire departments. The fire extinguisher and its NOC etc. should be checked. Additionally, hospitals should regularly inspect fire-fighting equipment such as fire extinguishers, hydrants and alarms. Checking expiry dates of fire extinguishers

Establish a maintenance schedule for all safety equipment. This includes monthly testing of fire extinguishers, quarterly testing of fire alarms and hydrants as per relevant Indian standards.

In areas with oxygen tanks or piped oxygen, enforce strict smoking policies and no smoking at heat sources. Signage should clearly mark these areas, and staff should be trained on the risks associated with high oxygen environments.

Make sure fire smoke detectors and fire alarms are installed in all hospital areas, especially patient rooms, hallways, and common areas. Test these systems regularly as scheduled and replace batteries annually or as needed.

Identify and audit non-combustible or fire-resistant alternatives, especially this material.

Make sure and inspect every single detail about electrical conduits.

Regularly review and update the hospital infrastructure to comply with the latest fire safety standards as outlined in the National Building Code 2016. This includes ensuring proper ventilation systems, fire resistant doors and emergency lighting in corridors and staircases.