Union Health Minister reviews fire safety measures at AIIMS

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday reviewed the fire safety measures at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, a day after a major fire broke out in its teaching block.

"I reviewed the situation after the fire at AIIMS yesterday. The hospital area has not been affected by the fire and there has been no loss or damage to life," the Minister was quoted in an official statement issued after he visited the hospital and taking stock of the situation.

During his visit, Vardhan was accompanied by Director, AIIMS and senior faculty members.

The health minister also directed AIIMS authorities to conduct a comprehensive special fire audit at the Institute.

"The Union Health Minister personally monitored the efforts on-site towards extinguishing the fire and patient care at AIIMS. Dr Harsh Vardhan stated that as a precautionary measure administration had shifted the patients from AB wing of the hospital to other areas of the hospital," the official statement read.

"These patients have now been shifted back to their respective wards in the AB wing. The hospital along with the emergency department and emergency laboratories are fully functional now," the statement quoted the Minister as saying.

AIIMS has a regular and well-functioning fire prevention system. There are fire personnel deployed round the clock with fire fighting safety systems being regularly tested including clearance of fire exits and corridors. As a measure of abundant caution, awareness of fire fighting systems among staff is conducted regularly.

"AIIMS administration has initiated an internal enquiry to look into the cause of the fire and further strengthen preventive measures. The fire which is suspected to have started from the microbiology laboratory area has affected some laboratories and office areas," said the official statement.

Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi also held a meeting with Heads of the Departments and administrative staff to review the hospital patient care services.

It was decided that outpatient (OPD) and emergency services will continue to run normally. Operation theatres (OTs) will be functional and the scheduled surgeries will be performed.

"A Committee has been set up to restore full functionality of services affected in PC teaching block. Additional staff has also been deployed for guiding the patients. He also reviewed the existing fire safety arrangements at AIIMS and discussed steps to further strengthen them," read the statement.