RIMS fire accident: Kavitha flags safety lapses at RIMS

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Telangana Rakshana Sena president K. Kavitha on Wednesday alleged that lapses in funding, maintenance, and monitoring were responsible for the fire that broke out at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Adilabad on Monday night, in which five infants died.

After visiting the damaged SNCU at RIMS, Ms. Kavitha demanded ₹50 lakh ex-gratia each for the families of the five infants who died and the families of other affected infants.

Speaking to the media later, she alleged that RIMS was facing shortage of doctors and other staff.

She said that despite the hospital having around 150 air-conditioners, it did not have a full-time AC mechanic. She also alleged that ₹500 crore in Aarogyasri dues was pending to the hospital.

Ms. Kavitha criticised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for not visiting the bereaved families and alleged that the incident reflected the poor state of government hospitals in the State.

She said the recent ceiling collapse incident at MGM Hospital in Warangal highlighted the need for safety audits of all government hospitals.

Earlier, Ms. Kavitha visited Ginnera village in Indervelli mandal and consoled the family of an infant who died in the fire incident at RIMS.  

The Telangana Rakshana Sena has decided to provide ₹50,000 each to the families of the five deceased infants, party sources said.

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