RGGGH to get new building at Rs 65 crores day after fire accident

Chennai: After the fire accident at one of the blocks of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) on Wednesday, a new building worth Rs 65 crore has been announced to be constructed at RGGGH by Health Minister Ma Subramanian.

Meanwhile, forensic team of experts reached the accident spot on Thursday morning to investigate the cause of fire at the building. The Health Secretary said that the building will not be used anymore and the damages incurred during the fire accident will be assessed by the team of experts at the hospital.

After several allegations of negligence in ensuring fire safety measures at the building by some activists in the city, State Health Department officials say that the fire safety measures have been taken at the government hospitals. Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan stated that 6,789 medical institutions, including tertiary and secondary care institutions, government medical college hospitals, private medical colleges and hospitals in all the districts have been inspected.

Of the government institutions, 157 ramps and fire safety arrangements have been done at institutions managed by Directorate of Medical Services at an allotted funds of Rs. 29.71 crore. While 95 ramps and other fire safety arrangements are made at institutions run by Directorate of Medical Education that were allotted funds of Rs. 84.98 crores for fire safety arrangements by the health department.

Meanwhile, the rescued patients at RGGGH are all praise for the hospital authorities and fire and safety department as they were rescued in time and alternative arrangements for their admission and treatment were made subsequently.

Institutions inspected so far:

Government tertiary care institutions- 64

Government secondary care institutions- 330

Private hospitals in Chennai- 852

Private hospitals in other districts-4,248

Private medical colleges-22

Self assessment- 1,273