AOH sets stricter fire norms for Mumbai hospitals

The Association of Hospitals has asked all the medical staff to leave the hospital only after all the patients vacate the premises in an emergency situation like the fire incident at a Kolkata hospital.
“Patients are our first priority. In case of an emergency, be the last to leave the hospital,” said the Association of Hospitals (AOH) to staffs of all city hospitals.

This was one of the several directives issued by the association following the deadly fire at a Kolkata hospital last week. The fire claimed 93 lives, mostly patients strapped to beds.

“We have asked the hospital representatives to talk to all their staff members and give them the example of Taj employees when the 26/11 terror attack happened. In AMRI fire, it was just the opposite. The patients were left behind helpless to die as the staff was the first to run away,” AOH president Pramod Lele said.

The AOH organised an emergency meeting at the Bombay Hospital on Wednesday to issue directives to all city hospitals on stringent fire safety norms. The meeting was attended by 70 authorities from 41 hospitals. “The AMRI fire was an eye opener. There were many points to learn from it. On a priority basis, we have asked all hospitals to make a list of inflammable substances stored in their hospital premises and where it is stored,” said Lele.

The AOH also decided to have a third party audit for  fire safety measures in hospitals. “There are many hospitals which are not on  the NABH list which ensures the hospital follows the fire safety norms. We have asked the hospitals to start applying for NABH accreditation. During the discussion, we also found that a third party audit is a must for fire safety in the hospitals,” added Lele.

For one, a big hurdle in the way of efficient fire safety measures is the blocked staircase area in most private hospitals across the city. The staircase is usually blocked by locked glass doors.

“Hospitals have been asked to ensure that the staircase area is free. We have also discussed the necessity of having a fire retardant paint in the doors of the hospital that will help stop a fire from spreading,” added Lele.