RIMS fire accident: Kavitha flags safety lapses at RIMS

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.