Ahmednagar hospital fire: District surgeon & 3 others suspended, 2 nurses terminated

Days after the tragic incident of a fire breakout claimed 11 lives at the Ahmednagar District Hospital, Maharashtra Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Rajesh Tope suspended a doctor along with three other staff in relation to it. On Monday, Tope announced the suspension of the District Civil Surgeon, two medical officers and a staff nurse. Two nurses were terminated from duty.

Informing the decision taken against the hospital staff, Tope wrote, “Based on the information received about the unfortunate accident at Ahmednagar District Hospital, the following action is being taken.” He went on to list the people suspended and terminated as a result of the investigation relating to the fire. Police sources had earlier informed that the staff on duty at the hospital did not react swiftly to the fire. The CCTV footage procured from the site was proof.

Listing out the medical workers suspended, Tope tweeted:

“1. District Surgeon Dr. Sunil Pokhrana - Suspended

2. Dr. Suresh Dhakne- Medical Officer- Suspended

3. Dr. Visakha Shinde - Medical Officer - Suspended

4. Sapna Plateau- Staff Nurse- Suspended

5. Asma Sheikh - Staff Nurse - Finished service

6. Channa Anant - Staff Nurse - Finished service”

Rajesh Tope had earlier denied that his health ministry had failed to put in safety measures in the hospital, and had indirectly blamed the Public Works Department for the fire. He claimed that the PWD caused a delay in submitting the required technical sanction to set up safety measures at the hospital, which in turn caused the tragic event. Earlier on Monday, the District Planning and Development Committee meeting presided over by District Guardian Minister Hasan Mushrif had analysed the case and recommended action against the civil surgeon.

Ahmednagar hospital fire

A major fire broke out in an Ahmednagar district hospital at 11 am on Saturday at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that claimed the lives of 11 COVID-19 patients and left several injured. An inquiry committee has been constituted to find out the cause of the fire, following which, an FIR was also lodged against unknown people. A senior fire officer had earlier said that a short circuit was suspected to be the cause. An FIR was lodged under section 304A of the IPC (causing death by negligence) against unknown people after 11 COVID-19 patients lost their lives in the Ahmednagar district civil hospital ICU Maharashtra. 

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