File photo of Health Minister Zahid Maleque CollectedThe minister also said 14 out of the total 16 wards at SSMCH had returned to normalcy following Thursday’s blaze, and patients were receiving treatment thereDescribing the fire at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital (SSMCH) as a wake-up call for the authorities, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque has said the electrical wiring and fire fighting systems at all hospitals need to be modernized and checked for faults. The minister also said 14 out of the total 16 wards at SSMCH had returned to normalcy following Thursday’s blaze, and patients were receiving treatment there. The health minister further said 17 fire fighting units brought the fire under control around 8pm on Thursday. Accompanied by Directorate General of Health Services Director General Dr Abul Kalam Azad, the health minister said a seven-member probe body has already been formed to investigate the SSMCH fire. Also addressing the press conference, SSMCH Director Dr Uttam Kumer Barua said 320 of the 1,200 evacuated patients returned to the SSMCH for treatment at 10:30am on Friday.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 15, 2019 09:00 UTC