5 months ago
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An audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has flagged superior shortcomings successful catastrophe absorption preparedness crossed hospitals successful Karnataka, including the lack of evacuation plans, occurrence information mechanisms, and mandatory statutory clearances.
The CAG report, tabled successful the Legislature during the Belagavi session, examined the show of nationalist wellness infrastructure and absorption of wellness services, including catastrophe management, for the play 2016 to 2022.
As per the National Health Mission (NHM) assessor’s guidebook, each wellness instauration (HI) is required to person a catastrophe absorption program (DMP), modular operating procedures for catastrophe effect and a catastrophe absorption committee to periodically reappraisal preparedness. However, the audit recovered uneven compliance among the test-checked institutions.
Of the 29 wellness institutions audited up to the assemblage wellness centre (CHC) level, 23 had prepared catastrophe absorption plans and 20 had constituted catastrophe absorption committees. However, but for Victoria Hospital successful Bengaluru, nary of the test-checked institutions had evacuation plans successful spot for emergencies.
The audit besides noted partial compliance with basal information requirements. While 26 institutions had displayed fluorescent occurrence exit signage, lone six had displayed important exigency interaction numbers of adjacent aesculapian centres, humor banks, fire, constabulary and ambulance services.
Fire information concerns
More superior deficiencies were observed successful occurrence prevention and firefighting preparedness. Under the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) guidelines, hospitals are required to person occurrence hydrants, soil buckets and underground h2o facilities, and to get no-objection certificates (NOC) from the Fire Department.
The audit recovered that nary of the test-checked institutions, but KIMS, Hubballi, and Victoria Hospital, had occurrence hydrants. Two institutions - taluk infirmary astatine K.R. Puram and CHC astatine Sargur - had nary firefighting mechanics astatine all. Though 40 institutions had occurrence extinguishers, successful 15 of them the instrumentality had not been refilled aft expiry. Except for 5 institutions, nary had obtained NOCs from the Fire Department.
Further, fume detectors and alarms were absent successful 41 wellness institutions, and a occurrence prevention program was disposable successful lone 11 facilities. The lack of firefighting mechanisms would marque evacuation of patients and unit highly hard successful the lawsuit of a fire, the audit study warned.
Gaps being addressed
Indira Kabade, nodal serviceman for catastrophe absorption successful the Health Department, said the gaps identified by the audit were being addressed astatine the organization level. She pointed retired that the audit covered the play from 2016 to 2022, including the COVID-19 years, and that important upgrading of infirmary infrastructure had taken spot aft the pandemic. “We are continuously monitoring compliance, and the Health Commissioner has issued a circular past month,” she said.
According to the Health Commissioner’s circular dated November 11, 2025, each wellness institutions crossed the State - including territory hospitals, taluk hospitals, CHCs and superior wellness centres (PHCs) - person designated their respective heads arsenic nodal officers for catastrophe management. Medical officers, administrative aesculapian officers, territory surgeons, aesculapian superintendents and heads of institutions person been directed to strictly adhere to the National Disaster Management Guidelines for Hospital Safety.
The circular prioritises compliance with 5 cardinal requirements highlighted successful the CAG report: mentation of catastrophe absorption plans, constitution of catastrophe absorption committees, formulation of evacuation plans, installation of occurrence exit signage and show of
Instructing heads of wellness institutions to guarantee compliance, the Circular stated that District Health and Family Welfare Officers volition compile compliance reports and taxable consolidated reports to Divisional Joint Directors for verification. Following this, verified reports indispensable beryllium forwarded wrong 15 days to the Disaster Management Nodal Officer astatine the Health Commissionerate, the circular added.
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