Read today's news for yet another reminder that we're not walking the talk.
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Vaishnavi Jayakumar <[email protected]> Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:42:44 +0530 Subject: 10 years after Erwadi, another 3 'disabled' people perish in a fire...powerless to help themselves To: whats-disabling <[email protected]> > > Fire in Chennai’s KMC hospital, three > dead<http://news.24by7info.net/fire-in-chennais-kmc-hospital-three-dead/> Why 'disabled' in quotes? Because respiratory conditions are not considered disabling by the definition of disability in the draft Rights of People With Disabilities Bill. And we couldn't care less about the rights of people *without* 'disabilities' but *with *disabling conditions as bad or worse than our recognised, officially sanctioned, politically fought for, traditional 'disabilities'. We are passive bystanders waiting for such groups of people to recognise that they're disabled, form special interest groups and lobby for inclusion - an obstacle race of sorts before they can officially 'belong' to the disabled community!. What's the Erwadi reference apart from the perishing in fire bit? *Because ANYONE in a hospital could be as unable as the Erwadi victims to save themselves without support. * Or for that matter, any disabled, infirm, elderly person in a multi-storied building. Does it matter if one's disability is invisible, temporary, fluctuating, devolving, disputed, medical in origin, if *AT THAT MOMENT* he/she is more disabled than any of us traditionally disabled? How many hospitals in India can function independent of lifts<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Here-safety-is-major-casualty/articleshow/9342926.cms>in case of a fire? In Chennai, only Apollo Greams Road comes to mind with its ground to top floor ramps. When was the last time your hospital had a fire/evacuation drill? A safety audit / risk management protocol? Planning commission groups please factor in the following for the forthcoming 12th 5 year plan: Evacuation training<http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/FA-235-508.pdf>- civilians and emergency professionals, disabled or non-disabled. I suspect the "women and children first" tradition may be history by now - so how about who goes first in evacuation triage priority? Can ALIMCO develop devices like the EVAC+CHAIR<http://www.evac-chair.com/news_impaired/> instead of waiting for private enterprise to realise that manufacturing such devices can be profitable? <http://news.24by7info.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/chennai_fire2.jpg>* Chennai:* Three people have been confirmed dead after a fire broke out at the Asthama allergic treatment centre of the Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital in Chennai. Reports confirmed three deaths from a fire suspected from an AC short circuit in one of the doctors cabins. Eyewitness reports suggested that the fire broke at 5 am on Saturday morning immediately after which eight patients in the ward were transferred to a different room. http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article2288395.ece Published: July 24, 2011 01:53 IST | Updated: July 24, 2011 01:53 IST Three asphyxiated to death in hospital R. Sujatha [image: The intensive medical care unit in a disarray at the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in Chennai on Saturday. Photo: R. Ragu] The Hindu The intensive medical care unit in a disarray at the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in Chennai on Saturday. Photo: R. Ragu Electrical short circuit in air-conditioner caused fire in intensive care unit Three patients suffocated to death following a fire in the intensive medical care unit of Government Kilpauk Hospital here on Saturday. An electrical short circuit in an air-conditioner in one of the inner sections of the unit reportedly caused the fire. The victims, S. Tamil Selvi (45) of Poonamallee, Krishnaveni (72) of Kodungaiyur and K. Nandagopal (51) of Ambattur, died of asphyxiation as they inhaled the smoke while waiting on the hospital bed for help to be shifted out. According to Medical Superintendent R. Sukumar, the condition of another male patient is critical. There were eight patients in the IMCU. According to the patient attendants, the doctors, nurses and hospital staff did their best to remove the patients to safety. Krishnaveni's son L. Jayakumar was agitated, but he recalled that his mother was alive when the nurses brought her out of the IMCU. “She was being administered oxygen and the nurses removed the mask so that the fire personnel could bring her out. She was alive when she was brought out of the room, but as she was being moved to the next ICU I saw her breathe her last,” he said. Hospital authorities said the three persons died while they were being moved to the intensive coronary care unit in the cardiology block. Tamil Selvi was admitted on Friday around 8.45 p.m. with complaints of seizure. “She could not stand up and we rushed her to the hospital last night,” said K. Mohan, her husband. Their son Manikandan stayed with her in the hospital. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has announced a relief of Rs.2 lakh to each of the victims from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, according to a release. -- http://about.me/vjayakumar -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. 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