People look at the charred remains at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the state-run RIMS, which caught fire after the AC unit burst, in Adilabad, on September 22.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has taken suo motu cognizance of the fire accident at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Adilabad, in which five newborns died.
“A team is being sent to conduct an on-ground inquiry into the matter,” the NCPCR said in a post on its social media handles on Monday.
NCPCR representatives arrived in Hyderabad on Tuesday, met the chairperson and members of the Telangana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TGSCPCR). They held discussions on the incident and the safety measures required to prevent such occurrences in hospitals.
During the meeting, TGSCPCR representatives briefed the NCPCR team on observations made during the State Commission’s visit to RIMS Adilabad on September 24. The team had interacted with the families affected by the incident, hospital officials and examined the condition of infants who were undergoing treatment after the fire.
The meeting also focused on the need to strengthen safety standards for newborns in hospitals, particularly in special care units where critically ill infants require continuous monitoring and medical support.
The two commissions discussed the need to strengthen emergency response systems, fire safety measures and other precautionary protocols in hospitals. They stressed the importance of coordination among the departments concerned to ensure that effective preventive measures are put in place and such incidents are not repeated.
Published – September 29, 2026 07:18 pm IST
