Hospital alarm system was broken when fire erupted

Ras Al Khaimah: Saqr Hospital's alarm system was down when fire raged through the hospital's fifth floor on Monday morning.

The issue of the broken alarm was revealed yesterday during Minister of Health Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qatami's visit to the hospital.

A RAK Medical District top official said the matter had been repeatedly reported to the Ministry of Health, but there has been no response.

He added the hospital had demanded the commissioned maintenance company fix the alarm system, but it had been down for 23 days before the fire.

The official added this made the situation even worse during Monday's blaze. Al Qatami said the Ministry of Health had set up a committee presided by Dr Mahmoud Fikri, the Executive Officer of the Health Policies Affairs to handle the fire's consequences and ensure Saqr Hospital returned to normal.

He added the committee would later submit a comprehensive report, taking the reports of the police, civil defence and other departments into account.

Al Qatami said the committee would also review the hospital's maintenance contracts and inspect its wiring, air-conditioning and alarm systems.

He added Saqr Hospital is to be upgraded in the next five months. The casualty department is to be expanded and the hospital is to have new equipment and machines installed.

Al Qatami announced six new nurses would be recruited on the spot as an initial measure to meet the needs of the hospital after the fire. He said the hospital's nurses and cleaning staff acted heroically when the fire was reported and swiftly evacuated infants and newborns.

He conveyed his gratitude to the families of the patients, who gave a helping hand in the successful evacuation of patients.

Families met the minister during his tour in the hospital and urged him to replace Saqr Hospital, they said its facilities were very old.

The families asked the minister to build a nearby building which Saqr Hospital could use in emergencies.