Kolkata: Taking a cue from the recent disaster in Ahmedabad and Vijayawada where COVID-19 patients were killed in incidents of fire in health establishments, the Bengal government has started examining the electrical wearing and fire fighting arrangements at all hospitals. At the same time necessary augmentation work, if found needed, is also being carried out without any delay. Despite carrying out massive renovation of old hospital buildings in the past nine years bringing down the possibility of fire in health establishments, the Mamata Banerjee government has taken the preventive step keeping in mind the two recent incidents of fire in health facilities in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Eight people were killed in the ICU of a COVID-19 hospital at Navrangpur area in Ahmedabad on August 6 while a massive fire in a COVID-19 facility at a star hotel in Vijayawada claimed ten lives on Sunday. According to the sources at Nabanna, the matter related to examining electrical wearing mainly in old hospital buildings and taking stock of the existing fire fighting arrangement in all hospitals including 55 dedicated for COVID patients, 582 quarantine centres and 106 safe homes was discussed in a meeting soon after the Ahmedabad incident. The state Health department has directed administration of all hospitals to carry out the same. District Magistrates were also directed to take necessary steps in this regard to ensure that there should not be any loopholes that may lead to an incident of fire in any hospital under their jurisdiction at this critical time of COVID-19. Private hospitals are also given direction to take necessary steps in this regard. At present District magistrates of most districts already held meetings with respective Chief Medical Officer (Health), top brass of police and fire department officers. Stress was given on mock drill at hospitals, besides inspecting the existing fire fighting infrastructure. The hospitals are also in touch with concerned officers of the state Public Works Department for inspection and necessary repairing of electrical wearing and fitting.

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