“Felled By Fire”
To avert (टालना/बचाना; to prevent something bad from happening) another Bhandara-like hospital inferno (आग; a very large uncontrolled fire), govts must address underlying (मूलभूत/अंतर्निहित; real but not immediately obvious) causes
The deadly fire that snuffed out (को मारना/नास करना ; to kill someone) the lives of 10 infants in the Bhandara District General Hospital in Maharashtra is a shocking reminder that safety norms (मानदंड; an accepted standard or a way of being or doing things that most people agree with) in several medical facilities in India do not pass muster (मुआयना/जायज़ा; inspection or visit).
The parents of the babies who perished (खत्म हो जाना/मरना; to die, especially in an accident, violence, or war) in the sick newborn unit have been plunged into (पड़ना/फँसाना; to fall into some state or condition) a lifetime of trauma (मानसिक आघात/चोट; severe emotional shock and pain). Some of the victims, a few just days old, had been brought to the hospital for better care from smaller health facilities; seven had a providential (सौभाग्यपूर्ण/भाग्यशाली; happening exactly when needed but without being planned) escape.
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There are reports of poorly trained staff failing to respond adequately (पर्याप्त रूप से; in a way that is enough or satisfactory for a particular purpose). The terrible blaze (ज्वाला/दहक; a large, strong fire) joins the long list of such accidents recorded in government and private hospitals, underscoring a painful reality: safety protocols (नवाचार/संदेशाचार; set of rules to be followed when doing a scientific study or an exact method for giving medical treatment) are yet to be institutionalised (संस्थागत करना; establish something, especially a practice or activity as a convention or norm in an organization or culture) even in places where people legitimately (उचित/वैध तरीके से; something legal or acceptable) expect a high degree of professionalism.
Last year, there were devastating (भयानक/विनाशकारी; causing a lot of damage or destruction) fires in COVID-19 facilities in Vijayawada and Ahmedabad, with several casualties (जनहानि/हताहत; a person injured or killed in a serious accident or war), blamed on poor oversight (खराब निरीक्षण; poor or bad management of an operation or process) by fire authorities or faulty electrical repairs. The Maharashtra government has ordered a probe into the Bhandara fire to be concluded in three days, and a fire audit of hospitals, but a perfunctory (लापरवाही से किया गया ; done quickly and without showing that you care or have much interest) inquiry cannot effectively address the underlying causes.
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Hospital fires are a distinct entity (इकाई/संस्था; an organization or a business that has its own independent existence), and research indicates that there are specific factors that trigger them off and aggravate (बिगाड़ देना; to make a bad situation worse) their impact. Intensive Care Units, neonatal ICUs and operating rooms are often the site of fires, implicating (दर्शाना/की ओर इशारा करना; hint, suggest, indicate) the presence of a high concentration of oxygen in a confined (सीमित/बहुत छोटा; limited, small, narrow) space.
A review of Indian hospital fires published in the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia identified higher oxygen availability in intensive care facilities as the likely primary cause, with motors and electrical units in the room providing the ignition, and plastics fuelling it.
It is worth considering, therefore, whether hospitals have been audited with such factors in mind, and to evaluate national building safety codes against international practice. Oxygen monitors for hospital rooms, to ensure that the ambient (परिवेश; relating to the immediate surroundings of something) level is within safe norms — set at a maximum of 23.5% by the U.S. National Fire Protection Association — could help avert an accident.
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Locating electrical equipment for airconditioners with sparking potential away from oxygen saturated areas (संतृप्त क्षेत्र; completely wet area) may also reduce the risk. As the health sector expands, it is essential that all new infrastructure conforms (अनुरूप; as per the rules, standards, or laws) to rigorous (कड़ी/सख्त; controlling behaviour in a severe or difficult way) safety standards, a small premium to stop disasters (आपदा; great harm, damage, or serious difficulty) such as the Bhandara carnage (नरसंहार; the killing of a large number of people).
If the government sets the bar high enough, ensuring full adherence (पालन; the obeying of a rule or law) to safety in its buildings, regulatory authorities can compel (मजबूर/मजबूर करना; to do something, because you are forced to or feel it is necessary) commercial structures to fall in line. The Centre should also create a public platform for insights gained from inquiries into hospital fires to be shared. Hospitals should mandatorily hold regular safety and evacuation drills (अभ्यास; to make someone practice a skill by repeating the same thing several times) which are key to saving lives when disaster strikes (हमला/प्रहार; to hit or attack someone or something forcefully or violently).
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