Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the fire at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital, Adilabad, in Oct, which claimed five infant lives, and the roof collapse at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Hospital, Warangal, in Sept.The PIL was instituted based on a letter written by advocate Nallapu Manideep to Supreme Court. A bench of Acting Chief Justice P Sam Koshy and Justice Suddala Chalapathi Rao, which heard the matter on Nov 5, directed the state and central govts to file their counters and posted the case to Nov 16.Manideep contended that the incidents exposed serious gaps in preventive safety measures, inspections, maintenance and emergency-response systems in govt hospitals. He argued that patients were entitled not just to medical care but also to safe buildings, functional safety systems and trained personnel.He sought a detailed probe into both incidents, technical reports on fire, electrical and structural safety, and a comprehensive assessment of infrastructure, equipment, staffing and maintenance across govt hospitals.He also urged the court to direct the govt to implement a time-bound corrective action plan, fix accountability, ensure adequate funding and establish regular safety monitoring. Compensation, continued treatment and rehabilitation for affected families were also sought.
