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The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Kozhikode MCH authorities planning trial run before reopening PMSSY block
A little over two months after back-to-back fire outbreaks and evacuation of patients led to the temporary closure of the super-speciality and emergency care wing of the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, the authorities are reportedly planning to have a trial run of the equipment before the reopening of the building. The first incident happened on May 2 night after a minor blast in the UPS room attached to the MRI scanning unit of the emergency care section at the building constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. A large number of patients had to be shifted to other wards of the hospital. Though some of them were brought back, they had to be evacuated again after another minor explosion on May 5. It was later decided that the building would be reopened only after a thorough check by the State Electrical Inspectorate, electrical wing of the State Public Works department, and bio-medical engineering experts. Separately, a team of doctors from various government MCHs too was set up to inquire into the incidents and the inconvenience suffered by the patients. Those seeking treatment at the emergency care wing are being taken to the old casualty building for the past two months. It is learnt that the water leakage in the building is yet to be completely addressed. The private company maintaining the MRI unit is yet to hand over the equipment after repair. There are around 19 operating theatres in the building. The inspection to check their functioning is ongoing too. At a recent review meeting chaired by District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, it was decided that all these works should be completed before July-end. Sources said on Wednesday that a trial run for a couple of days was also proposed before the complete reopening of the facility. Meanwhile, both patients and healthcare staff are troubled by the congested premises and lack of facilities at the old casualty block. Many surgical procedures are being rescheduled. It is not clear what are the findings of the expert team set up by the government on the inconvenience caused to the patients during the fire outbreaks. The committee is supposed to submit its report to the Directorate of Medical Education.
The Hindu
05-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Fire breaks out at Kozhikode MCH again, patients evacuated
Patients were evacuated once again when another fire broke out on the sixth floor of the PMSSY block that houses the casualty ward of the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kozhikode, on Monday afternoon. On May 2, 151 patients were shifted following after a minor explosion in the UPS room attached to the MRI scanning unit on the ground floor of the same building, causing thick smoke to spread to other parts of the seven-storey structure. Some of the 114 people shifted to other wards in the same hospital were brought back to the building on Monday morning. The latest round of fire and smoke emanating from the vicinity of an operating theatre on the sixth floor is reported to have happened when officials from the State Electrical Inspectorate were checking the electrical connections there. The panic-stricken patients admitted on the second, third, fourth, and fifth floors were rushed on wheelchairs and stretchers to other wards in adjacent buildings of the hospital through the skywalk facility. According to some sources, there were at least 35 patients on the fourth floor. Fire and Rescue Services personnel brought the situation under control in two hours. Possible reason Meanwhile, questions have been raised about the hurry to readmit patients to the building without enforcing proper security measures after the May 2 incident. Health Minister Veena George had said during a visit on May 3 that the patients would be readmitted only after ensuring proper precautions. Sources said that glitches in the electrical wiring could be a reason for the latest mishap. When the news of the fire breakout spread, M.K. Raghavan, Kozhikode MP, K.P. Prakash Babu, BJP leader, and Youth Congress leaders staged protests on the hospital premises. Mr. Raghavan later told the media that the services would be resumed only after thorough checking. Fire auditing ordered Ms. George told the media in Thiruvananthapuram that a short circuit had happened in the electrical wiring on the ceiling during a checking on the fifth and sixth floors. An order had been issued to conduct a comprehensive fire auditing of the building. The Minister admitted that there had been lapses in readmitting the patients before taking security precautions. A committee of experts had been set up to inquire into the technical safety of the building in the wake of recurring fire accidents, she added.
