Pune: State public health and family welfare minister Prakash Abitkar has ordered appointment of fire safety nodal officers at every healthcare institution across Maharashtra following the tragic fire at Amravati’s District Women’s Hospital that killed several newborns.Hospital heads will now be held accountable for any future incidents.During a high-level meeting with senior department officials on Tuesday, Abitkar ordered immediate fire, electrical, structural, and medical machinery audits for all govt, private, and charitable hospitals across Maharashtra.“Patient safety is paramount, and no negligence regarding fire safety will be tolerated,” Abitkar stated. “Institutions must submit compliance reports to the govt, with specialised inspections mandated for high-risk zones, including ICUs, NICUs, nurseries, and operation theatres.”To ensure continuous monitoring, every healthcare facility is required to designate a nodal officer for fire safety. These officers will be responsible for reviewing firefighting systems, electrical safety, emergency evacuation plans, staff training, and regular mock drills. They will be required to submit periodic compliance reports to higher authorities.A formal statement from the health department clarified that the chain of accountability has been strictly defined. Hospital heads, divisional deputy directors, district civil surgeons, district health officers, municipal health 0fficers, and medical superintendents are now directly responsible for ensuring audits are completed and deficiencies are rectified. The directive warned that institution heads will be held liable for any incidents resulting from delays in audits or unresolved safety lapses.The new guidelines demand a special focus on sensitive areas, covering medical gas pipeline systems and the functionality of firefighting equipment. Any deficiencies identified during inspections must be documented, prioritised, and corrected immediately.The Minister announced that every building and block within hospital premises must undergo a physical fire safety assessment every six months.Minister Abitkar emphasised that all health institutions—both public and private—must implement Central Govt directives and national guidelines on fire and life safety with the “utmost seriousness.”
