Hyderabad: Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha directed officials to complete government hospital safety audits across Telangana within a month. The audits were to cover fire, electrical and structural safety at all government hospitals in the state. Rajanarsimha issued the directions during a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat on Thursday.
He said patient and staff safety must receive top priority. Moreover, officials were told to address identified deficiencies within fixed deadlines.
The review examined findings from earlier safety audits at government medical facilities. Officials assessed corrective work already completed and identified measures that remained pending. They also reviewed long-term steps aimed at preventing safety risks at healthcare facilities.
Government hospital safety audits focus on corrective action
Rajanarsimha instructed authorities not to limit hospital safety audits to identifying deficiencies on paper. Instead, he directed them to carry out corrective measures within strict timelines.
He also stressed the need for systems to prevent accidents and enable rapid evacuation during emergencies. In addition, the Minister warned officials against lax enforcement at public and private medical institutions.
Health officials told him that routine safety audits were underway across the state. They also said authorities were continuously monitoring compliance with safety requirements.