Fire safety audits have been completed in 323 healthcare facilties affiliated to the Maharashtra government's public health department, the state Legislative Assembly was informed on Thursday.
As many as 567 hospitals come under the state public health department.
In a written reply to a question raised by BJP MLA Atul Bhatkalkar, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said the public works department is preparing the estimate plan for fire safety for 170 hospitals, of which the plan for 74 is ready.
The process of making funds available through the district planning committees is in progress, he said.
Bhatkalkar had asked about 506 hospitals not having fire-fighting equipment.
To which, Tope in the written reply said fire safety audits of 323 healthcare facilities have been completed, and the fire brigade has been told to complete audits of all hospitals.
At least 10 newborns were killed in a fire at a hospital in Bhandara district in January this year.
Two nurses were booked for culpable homicide, following a probe.
Meanwhile, Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh told the House during the question hour that the government is considering a separate facility for leprosy patients.
Deshmukh was responding to a supplementary raised by Pranati Shinde (Congress) to the main question of Ashish Shelar (BJP).
As many as 5,281 leprosy patients were detected by December last year, of which 450 were children, minister of state for health Rajendra Yedravkar said.
A fresh drive to detect leprosy patients had begun from February 8, he said.
BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar said NGOs have been working on leprosy eradication and rehabilitation of the patients for several years, and the government should ensure they get annual grants.
