KARACHI – The fire safety inspections of 22 government hospitals in Sindh have revealed significant shortcomings, including the absence of fire alarms and water sprinklers at several major healthcare facilities.
According to a fire safety report submitted to the Sindh government, Karachi’s Civil Hospital has 180 operational fire extinguishers but lacks fire alarms and water sprinklers. The 1,750-bed hospital also requires repairs to its electrical wiring.
Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), which has 2,208 beds, has 208 functional fire extinguishers but no fire alarm or sprinkler system. Its electrical wiring also requires repairs, although fire drills are reportedly conducted regularly.
The report said 40 of the 135 fire extinguishers at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) were defective. The 533-bed facility has no fire alarm system, while fire drills are not conducted regularly. Its electrical wiring also requires extensive repairs.
At the 700-bed Lyari General Hospital, only 20 fire extinguishers are operational and just one fire alarm is available. The facility has no water sprinklers and does not conduct regular fire drills.
Qatar Hospital in Orangi has only 25 functional fire extinguishers and no fire alarm, while Saudabad Hospital has 18 operational extinguishers but lacks a fire alarm system and regular fire drills.
The report, however, found fire safety arrangements satisfactory at SMBB Trauma Centre and Korangi Children’s Institute. SMBB Trauma Centre has 180 operational extinguishers, 45 alarms and 39 fire hydrants. Korangi Children’s Institute has 39 extinguishers and 39 fireballs, while its alarms are functional and fire drills are conducted regularly.
In Sukkur, the safety exit of the children’s ward at GMMMC Hospital was found uncleared. The hospital has only 20 fire extinguishers and lacks alarms and sprinklers. SMS Hospital in Shahdadpur has just five fire extinguishers and no fire alarm.
LUMHS Hyderabad has 110 operational fire extinguishers but no fire alarms or sprinklers, while LUMHS Jamshoro has 32 extinguishers but also lacks both systems.
The Sehwān Institute has 45 operational extinguishers and four fire alarms, with regular drills being conducted.
CMC Larkana has 77 extinguishers across its various blocks, while the Jacobabad Institute has 52 operational extinguishers and its fire safety arrangements were described as satisfactory.
The health department sources said fire safety data for NICVD, SIUT Karachi and Sukkur, and PUHMS remains incomplete.
Data for Khairpur Medical College and Gambat is also incomplete, while the report noted that records from several major healthcare institutions were not provided.
