8 patients died in a fire in the ICU ward of SMS Hospital in Jaipur. The CM formed an inquiry committee. Relatives are alleging negligence. PM Modi wished for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Jaipur: A fire broke out due to a short circuit at around 11:20 PM on Sunday, October 5, at the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. The fire occurred in the ICU ward, resulting in the deaths of eight admitted patients. Among the deceased were critically ill individuals who were battling between life and death. This incident has raised questions about health safety and hospital management deficiencies in the capital.
CM Bhajanlal Sharma Canceled Delhi Visit
Following this serious incident, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma canceled his Delhi visit and immediately ordered the formation of an inquiry committee. The inquiry committee will be led by Iqbal Khan, head of the Medical Education Department. The committee's objective is to investigate all aspects of the incident and identify those responsible.
Relatives Allege Negligence
At the time of the incident, some relatives alleged that a faint smoke was visible approximately 20 minutes before the fire broke out, but it was not taken seriously. Relatives claim that if the initial warning had been heeded, many lives could have been saved. Relatives also accused the medical staff of fleeing the scene instead of helping as the fire intensified.
Stretchers and safety equipment were not available outside the ICU ward. Patients' relatives themselves went into the ICU and started trying to evacuate people. In many cases, no medical staff was present to assist in safely evacuating patients. This incident exposed the lack of safety standards in the hospital.
Lack of Firefighting Arrangements in Hospital
Hospital management is accused of not having adequate arrangements to control the fire. At night, no senior official or doctor was present in the hospital. There was no training or firefighting arrangements in place for initial response. As a result, it was not possible to bring the fire under control in time.
Sloganeering by Agitated Relatives
After the incident, the relatives of the deceased staged a sit-in protest at the gate of the Trauma Center. They raised slogans against the hospital management and accused them of negligence. Relatives are demanding that those responsible face strict action and that measures be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Prime Minister Modi Expresses Condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident and stated via a tweet that the loss of life and property due to the fire at SMS Hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan, is extremely saddening. He wished for the speedy recovery of the injured and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.
Responsibility of the Inquiry Committee
The inquiry committee is tasked with determining whose negligence caused the fire and why patients were not evacuated in time. Furthermore, it will also investigate why assistance was not provided to the efforts made by relatives to save the patients.
Congress Demands Health Minister's Resignation
Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan, Tikaram Julie, stated that this incident reflects the government's lack of monitoring and auditing. He said that the Health Minister should resign immediately. He further added that if the CM and the minister had visited SMS Hospital instead of their Delhi tour, better oversight would have been possible in the state.
