Hyderabad: 90% Of 1,700 Hospitals Not Fire-Safety Compliant, Says Report

An examination carried by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) found that many hospitals in Hyderabad are working in dangerous conditions.

After the Gujarat and Vijayawada mishaps, it was found that the hospitals were not equipped with fire safety measures. The records of the civic body show that out of 1,700 hospitals, 90% are not following the guidelines.

Residents of the area have filed numerous complaints.

"The Government should not permit commercial establishments like hospitals in residential complexes," News18 quoted Ridhima V, a resident of MLA Colony in Banjara Hills, as saying.

Many hospitals have submitted a self declaration form to receive or renew their Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) since October 2018 after the EVDM unit issued notices of strict actions like sealing of premises and registering criminal cases against the management.

After EVDM furnished a warning, the GHMC asked more than 1,000 hospitals to submit their self declaration form giving details of their fire safety measures. At present, the goal is to determine the accuracy of information submitted by the hospitals to generate their NOC.

At least ten people were killed in Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada on Sunday, August 9, after a fire engulfed a hotel being used as a COVID-19 care facility. On Thursday, August 6, a fire that broke out at a private COVID-19 designated hospital in Ahmedabad killed as many as eight patients.

Also Read: Andhra Pradesh: Nine Dead After Fire Breaks Out At Hotel Used As COVID-19 Facility