Madhya Pradesh hospital fire: Three senior officials removed, sub-engineer of maintenance agency suspended

By PTI

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday removed three senior officials, including the dean of the Gandhi Medical College, from their posts and suspended a sub-engineer of the maintenance agency, after a major fire in the special newborn care unit of the Bhopal-based Kamla Nehru Children’s Hospital killed four infants on Monday night.

The state government also announced several other measures to prevent such incidents in future.

The major blaze in the special newborn care unit (SNCU) caused the death of four infants while 36 were shifted to other places, the state government said.

“Gandhi Medical College dean Dr Jitendra Shukla, superintendent of Hamidia Hospital Dr Lokendra Dave and Director of Gas Relief Department, KK Dubey, are removed from their posts while Avdhesh Bhadoria, a sub-engineer (electric) of the Capital Project Administration (CPA), the agency responsible for the maintenance of this hospital, has been suspended,” Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang told reporters.

Kamla Nehru Children’s Hospital is part of the Gandhi Medical College and the Hamidia Hospital while the building was in the possession of the Gas Relief Department.

Sarang said a fresh set of norms will be introduced with the help of experts as hospitals are being upgraded with new lines and plants of oxygen in the state.

“It was also decided that a separate Civil Engineering Wing will be constituted under the Medical Education Department. This wing will take care of hospitals and medical facilities under the Department,” he said.

The minister said the government also decided that the maintenance work of the Kamla Nehru Hospital was withdrawn from CPA and handed over to the Public Works Department (PWD) with immediate effect.

Sarang said Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a meeting with ministers and officials about the hospital fire incident on Wednesday morning and directed to ensure that fire and electrical audit of all hospitals is done.

“The district collectors will review the safety of all hospitals within the next ten days in their respective jurisdiction. They will ensure implementation of all the safety norms in the hospitals,” he said.