Revelation That Major Government Hospitals in Sindh Lack Fire Alarms and Water Sprinklers
KARACHI: Major public sector hospitals submitted a fire safety report to the Government of Sindh which exposed alarming fire safety issues and stated that there is no fire alarm or water sprinklers in several prominent public sector hospitals.
According to the report, Civil Hospital Karachi has 180 functional fire extinguishers, but completely lacks fire alarms and sprinklers. Besides, the electrical wiring of Civil Hospital Karachi with a capacity of 1,750 beds is in dire need of repair.
Findings Across Major Karachi Hospitals
Jinnah Hospital in Karachi has 208 extinguishers but no fire alarms and water sprinklers. Moreover, the electrical wiring of Jinnah Hospital with 2200 beds also needs to be fixed, despite the hospital’s regular fire drills.
The report said of a total of 135 fire extinguishers at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), 40 of them were out of order. The NICH, which has 533 beds, does not have fire alarms installed, has not held regular safety drills and is in dire need of a major upgrade of its electrical wiring.
In Lyari General Hospital, 700-bed hospital, only 20 fire extinguishers are working and there is no sprinkler in the hospital, nor are there any regular fire drills. Only 25 fire extinguishers are active at Qatar Hospital Orangi with no fire alarm, and Saudabad Hospital has 18 active fire extinguishers, but no fire alarm or regular drill system.
Hospitals in Sindh have satisfactory facilities and interior.Facilities and interior of hospitals in Sindh are satisfactory.
On the other hand, the report presented to the Sindh government found that fire safety measures at the SMBB Trauma Center and the Korangi Children’s Institute are satisfactory. The SMBB Trauma Centre has 180 extinguishers working, 45 alarms and 39 working fire hydrants, while the Korangi Children’s Institute has 39 working extinguishers, 39 fire balls, working alarms and regular drills.
At GMMC hospital Sukkur, there is only 20 fire extinguishers (no alarm or sprinklers) and safety exit for children’s ward is blocked in interior Sindh. Likewise, there are 5 Fire Extinguishers at SIMS Hospital in Shahdadpur but no Fire Alarms.
There are a total of 110 Fire Extinguishers available at LUMHS, Hyderabad with no Fire alarms and no sprinklers are available in the premises while LUMHS Jamshoro has 32 Fire Extinguishers and no Fire alarms/sprinklers are installed in the premises.
Meanwhile, the Sehwan Institute is equipped with 45 extinguishers and 5 operational fire alarms and conducts regular drills, CMC Larkana has a total of 77 fire extinguishers in various blocks, and the Jacobabad Institute has full safety arrangements with 52 fire extinguishers which are in good working order.
Incomplete Data from Other Major Institutions
But according to the sources of Health Department, the data on fire safety is yet incomplete in several other big medical institutions such as Gambat, Khairpur Medical College, PUHMS, Sukkur and NICVD, Karachi. Multiple big medical facilities did not provide full records, the report said.