Prime Minister condoles Death due to fire in COVID Hospital in Mumbai, says Safety of Hospitals should not be neglected

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled deaths due to fire in a COVID-19 hospital in Virar (Maharashtra). Union government has approved an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the hospital fire in Virar, Maharashtra. Rs. 50,000 would be given to those seriously injured.Fourteen coronavirus patients who were in the ICU havereportedly  died in a fire at a hospital in Maharashtra's Virar, about 70 km from state capital Mumbai. 

 

According to Media reports, the fire broke out at around 3 am in the ICU on the second floor of the four-storeyed Vijay Vallabh Hospital, an official said. "Around 90 patients were admitted to the hospital at the time of the incident," Dilip Shah, CEO, Vijay Vallabh Hospital, told reporters this morning.

Over 67,000 fresh cases have been reported since yesterday. With a total caseload of over 40 lakh infections, Maharashtra is the worst-hit state in the country by the pandemic.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the deaths in Palghar district's Virar "tragic". "Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon," his office quoted him as saying in a tweet.

Speaking to reporters this morning, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said: "In today's meeting with the Prime Minister, we will talk about oxygen, Remdesivir, adequate quantity of vaccines for the state...also the Virar fire incident, it is not national news." 

Maharashtra was struck by another tragedy on Wednesday when 24 Covid patients died in Nashik after an oxygen tanker leaked outside a hospital, disrupting supply to patients for around 30 minutes. 

Later, the Prime Minister chaired high-level meeting on Covid-19 situation with Chief Ministers of 11 states and Union Territories which have reported maximum number of cases in recently. During the meeting he emphasized that safety of hospitals should not be neglected. 

PM Modi said along with all measures for treatment of the patients, hospital safety is also very important. Expressing grief on recent incidents of oxygen leakage and fire at hospitals, PM Modi said the administrative staff of the hospital needs to be made more aware about the safety protocols.

PM Modi assured Centre’s full support to all the states and in this fight. He added that the Ministry of Health is also in touch with the states and is monitoring the situation closely and issuing necessary advices to the states from time to time. On oxygen supply, PM Modi took note of the points raised by the states. He said there is a continuous effort to increase oxygen supply. All the concerned departments and ministries of the government are also working together. Industrial oxygen has also been diverted to meet immediate requirements. He urged the states to check hoarding and black marketing of oxygen and medicines. The PM said that every state should ensure that no oxygen tanker, whether it is meant for any state, is stopped or gets stranded. 

PM Modi also urged the administration to continuously make people aware so that they do not indulge in panic buying. He said that with united efforts, we will be able to stop this second wave of the pandemic across the country.