New Delhi, May 4 -- India is set to implement a new framework for fire and life safety across all healthcare facilities, moving beyond general building codes to address the specific vulnerabilities of patients and critical care units.

The ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) has released a comprehensive manual titled "National Guidelines on Fire and Life Safety in Healthcare Facilities (2026)" in the backdrop of recurring tragedies that highlight systemic safety failures in Indian healthcare.

The manual provides a technical and operational roadmap to identify high-risk zones such as ICUs, operation theatres, and oxygen storage areas for targeted interventions. Under these guidelines, all major structural elements in new hospita...