Delhi hospitals told to paint ‘red cross’ on rooftops

The directions were issued by the Delhi health department in an official order on Friday, accessed by HT

The Delhi government on Friday directed its hospitals to implement emergency preparedness measures, including prominently marking their rooftops with the Red Cross symbol, increasing their medicine stocks, ensuring backup power systems are operational, and clearing basements to serve as makeshift shelters amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Workers paint a red cross symbol over the roof of a hospital in Srinagar amid tension along the border. (AFP)

The directions were issued by the Delhi health department in an official order on Friday, accessed by HT, instructing all 38 Delhi government-run hospitals to urgently carry out a set of precautionary actions.

Among the most visible of these measures is the requirement to paint the roofs of all hospitals with the Red Cross emblem, a move aimed at protecting healthcare facilities during potential aerial attacks by identifying them as protected sites under international humanitarian law.

Hospitals have been also asked to give updates the progress of the painting work, the officials cited above said.

Out of Delhi’s 38 government hospitals, around 25—including Lok Nayak, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, GTB, and Indira Gandhi Hospital—confirmed by Friday evening that they had begun painting their rooftops, while some informed authorities that they had requested the Public Works Department (PWD) to undertake the task.

The department also asked hospitals to submit updated inventories of essential medicines, verify the functionality of their generators (GENSETS), and finalise a Hospital Disaster Management Plan. Each hospital has been directed to conduct a mock drill by Saturday, March 10, to test readiness. Some, like Lok Nayak and GTB, began staff briefings on Friday in preparation.

“Lok Nayak is conducting mock drill training for our hospital along with GB Pant and Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC),” said Dr Ritu Saxena, chief medical officer at Lok Nayak and disaster management expert. All hospitals have been issued detailed Hospital Safety & Disaster Preparedness guidelines authored by Dr Saxena.

These guidelines advise citizens to familiarise themselves with air raid sirens—long wails indicate an alert, while short bursts mean all-clear—and identify shelter areas such as basements and underground car parks. During drills or actual alerts, all outdoor activity must stop immediately, and people should calmly move to designated shelters.

Hospitals have been specifically asked to adopt a “Contingency Planning” strategy to utilise cleared-out basements for shelter and evacuation purposes.

“Hospitals must be clearly marked with the Red Cross, Red Crescent, or Red Crystal symbols to benefit from the protection provided under international humanitarian law,” the guidelines note.

Additionally, the government on Thursday asked hospitals to ensure fire safety measures, including ensuring the availability of fire extinguishers, without exception. Hospitals are required to report on the adequacy of their existing manpower – especially in emergency care roles such as surgeons, anaesthetists, orthopaedicians, and burn specialists.

Data has also been sought on ICU bed availability, operational ventilators, and oxygen supplies. Nodal officers responsible for trauma and emergency response must also be identified with their contact information.

To ensure full mobilisation, the Delhi government on Thursday cancelled all leave for doctors in government hospitals. The order was reiterated on Friday with fresh instructions from hospital authorities directing all doctors currently on leave to return to duty.

“I had applied for leave and was on my way to catch the train at 11.30pm on Friday night to go to my hometown in Bikaner. However, soon after I was told on Friday night to cancel my leave, I got my tickets canceled. A fresh order was issued by the hospital informing us that leaves for all doctors have been canceled till further orders,” said Inayat Ali, nursing officer from Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.

Medical superintendents and directors have been told to submit compliance reports on an urgent basis.