Only 92 of 899 hospitals have completed fire compliance in Pune

Despite the significant risk posed to the lives of patients and their families, several private clinics and hospitals in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) are operating sans fire compliance.

Most of the hospitals only bother to complete the compliance during the nursing home license renewal. However, as per norms hospitals must complete fire compliance and submit ‘Form B’ to their respective civic body every six months.

The PMC has 899 private hospitals and clinics registered under the Maharashtra Nursing Home Registration Act 1949. Out of these as per the official record of the fire brigade department, 92 hospitals have completed the fire compliance. However, it also includes government hospitals run by the civic body.

The situation is similar in PCMC which has 617 private hospitals and 1,456 clinics registered with the civic body. Out of which over 85%, 525 private hospitals and 1,237 private clinics have failed to submit the Form B and fire No-Objection Certificates (NoC) and operating sans fire compliance.

With temperatures rising, the Union Ministry of Health and National Disaster Management Authority on Saturday directed states and Union Territories to take measures to prevent hospital fires during summer.

In a joint advisory, the ministry and NDMA asked the states to ensure all accredited hospitals conduct thorough inspections, address discrepancies in electrical load capacity and obtain valid fire NoCs from respective fire departments.

Dr Sunita Golhait, joint director of health services, said, before the Centre’s directions during a video conference all district health officers, officers of corporations and civil surgeons have been asked to get the fire and electrical maintenance and compliance done of private and public hospitals in their jurisdiction.

“We have also issued a circular for the same and all local bodies have to get the comprehensive fire safety audit and on-site inspections of all hospitals to assess fire safety compliance,” she said.

Dr Bhagwan Pawar, health officer of PMC, said, orders have been issued to ward medical officers to submit to us the list of hospitals that have completed the fire safety compliance in their list.

“We have also asked the fire brigade department to provide us with the same list. Further action will be taken on hospitals who have failed to complete the compliance,” he said.

Manoj Lonkar, deputy commissioner of PCMC, the health department has been asked to stop providing registration and renewals of nursing home licenses hospitals without the NoC of the fire brigade department.

“The hospitals have to mandatory complete the Fire safety compliance and submit Form B. We have decided the NoC will not be provided unless they complete the process,” he said.

Dr Sanjay Patil, chairman, Hospital Board of India, Pune Chapter, said, that for the safety of staff, patients and own safety the hospitals have to get the fire safety compliance done.

“Most of the hospitals have completed the Fire safety compliance. Almost all hospitals are fire compliant and even they are doing electric audits. However, there must be missing data with the fire brigade department for the fire NOC,” he said. Hindustan Times