Blame it on ignorance

TIRUPATI: Laxity on the part of some hospitals could be attributed to ignorance of fire safety norms prescribed by the government, according to Srihari Rao, Indian Medical Association (IMA) district president. "Efforts are being made to create awareness and we are quite confident of seeing changes," he said.At the same time, government too should not take harsh action against hospitals as bringing about structural changes is a costly affair, but suggest alternative measures which will help better fire safety management, he said.It is true that some hospitals are not having adequate fire safety measure, as recommended by the fire services department. However, every one is having fire extinguishers of different sizes, he said.Andhra Pradesh Nursinghomes Association (APNA) state leader K Venkateswarlu said there were no two opinions about the safety of patients. It is of paramount importance. However, in the case of old hospitals, it is not possible to implement prescribed norms, but the same can be insisted upon hospitals now under construction. "We have discussed fire safety measures at our state body meetings on several occasions and it will be the main agenda at the meeting to be held next week," he said.Considering that hospitals like Ruia are always crowded with patients and their attendants, a fire would be catastrophic, a doctor at the hospital said. It is time that the government woke up to the fact that hospitals need better infrastructure and safety measures, he said.