Jhansi Hospital Tragedy: Neglect of Fire Safety and Health Care

• The Jhansi hospital tragedy in Uttar Pradesh, India, resulted from neglect of fire safety and health care.

• The neonatal intensive care unit was operating at nearly three times its capacity, with 49 babies for incubators meant for 18.

• The hospital’s doctor-patient ratio in 2021 was 1:2,158, a figure well within the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of 1:1,000.

• Despite a patient flow of over 5,000 a day, several wings of the hospital remain in a dilapidated state.

• Initial reports suggest an electric short-circuit could be the cause, exacerbated by oxygen cylinders in the care unit.

• The Union Budgets of FY2022 and FY2023, which allocated a mere 2.2% to health care, declined to 1.75% this year.

• India’s public health expenditure was 3.3% of GDP in 2021, lower than the global average for developing countries.