Centre to issue fresh advisory on hospital fire safety: Nadda

Asking Odisha government to take action against those guilty of "serious lapse" that led to death of 21 people in a hospital blaze here, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said the Centre would soon issue a fresh advisory to all states to avoid repeat of such incidents.
His remarks came on a day when another fire outbreak was reported in Kendrapara district headquarters hospital in the state. However, there was no casualty.
"We have to see that such incidents do not repeat. I will ask the officials to make more stringent provisions. I will personally see which issues need to be revisited. A fresh advisory will be given to all the states so that such incidents do not take place anywhere," Nadda told reporters before winding up his one-day visit to the state.

He said there was "serious lapse in the said hospital where people died. The state government should ensure that the culprits responsible for the incident should not go scot- free."
Terming the hospital fire tragedy as "very serious", "worrisome" and "shocking", Nadda said, "There was breach of safety measures. The incident would not have taken place at all, had safety measures been in place."
Though fire safety is a matter related to Home department, Health department also has a responsibility to ensure safety of patients in hospitals, he said.
Nadda said he was told that the hospital did not have fire safety measures. "Inspite of that (not having fire safety clearance), the hospital was running. It is a serious matter," Nadda said.