The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has directed all states and Union Territories to carry out fire safety audits across every government and private healthcare facility under a nationwide special campaign, with the findings to be uploaded on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) by July 31.
In a letter addressed to states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Punyasalila Srivastava instructed authorities to ensure that fire safety becomes an integral part of routine hospital operations and patient safety practices, rather than being treated as a one-time compliance exercise.
The Ministry said the special campaign will cover both public and private healthcare institutions, with all audit reports required to be submitted through the IHIP portal by the July-end deadline.
The communication noted that 4,083 secondary-level government and private hospitals reported completing fire safety audits on the IHIP portal during May. However, it added that the actual number of audits conducted may be higher than those recorded on the platform.
According to a report by The Hindu, the Ministry has also instructed states to ensure that all hospitals, including private hospitals and nursing homes, conduct monthly fire safety audits and upload the results through the IHIP portal.
Particular attention has been directed towards high-risk areas such as Intensive Care Units (ICUs), Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), nurseries, and other critical care units, where fire incidents could have especially serious consequences.
The Ministry has further asked states to circulate the updated national guidelines on fire and life safety in healthcare facilities among all healthcare institutions to improve preparedness and minimise the risk of fire-related emergencies.
The Health Secretary also urged state governments to closely oversee the implementation of these measures and ensure that fire safety remains a continuous priority across healthcare facilities.