Public hospitals fail security check

No armed guards or CCTV cameras installed at crucial points in govt hospitals; safety measures in place at most private facilities

Public hospitals fail security check

No armed guards or CCTV cameras installed at crucial points in govt hospitals; safety measures in place at most private facilities

THE last two weeks have been quite eventful across hospitals in the city as a spate of attacks have taken place on doctors and hospital staffers by irate members of patients' families.
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Security checks bags of visitors to Jehangir hospital entrance around 1.50 pm; there are no security guards at the entrance of District Hospital near Aundh Civil hospital around 11 am; only one security guard is present at Sassoon Hospital Casualty Ward around 5.20 pm

Even though a law passed in 2009, promises to make attacks against doctors a cognizable offence and damage to hospital property recoverable, this doesn't seem to deter people from continuing with impropriety.

MiD DAY decided to do a reality check of some of the well known hospitals in the city, both public and private. The first thing that struck us was that none of the public hospitals had armed guards.

Also, not a single hospital had a register to record the names and addresses of people who enter the hospital.
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Most hospital authorities maintained was because relatives of patients admitted to the casualty ward were reluctant to spend time on such details.

Sassoon hospital
If anyone wants to enter the hospital with arms, here's an open invitation.

The hospital lacked security equipment such as baggage belts, X-ray scanners or metal detectors. Worse, in case of untoward incidents, there were no CCTV cameras at the entrance to capture it or those involved.

The saving grace was that security guards and policemen were present at both the entrances and even within the hospital.

Dr S V Ghorpade, deputy dean, said, "We have given a proposal to increase the security. Despite asking for security equipment, the proposal has not been sanctioned."

Aundh Civil Hospital
Forget about security arrangements, there was not even a compound. Only two guards were present. There were no X-ray scanners, security checks, CCTV cameras and metal detectors anywhere.

Dr Mahendra Nagare, assistant district civil surgeon, said: "It's been only four months since we shifted to this new building. Therefore, our security plans are still being worked upon. The whole system will be in place in three months time."

YCM hospital
There guards present at all the entrances, but they were armed with just a truncheon.u00a0 CCTV cameras were only present at maternity and neonatal ward, whereas they should have been installed at entrance and exits.

Dr S B Gaikwad, deputy medical superintendent, said: "After the attack on doctors, we have beefed up our security. We are planning to install CCTV cameras within the entire hospital once the proposal is approved."u00a0

Ruby Hall Clinic
In terms of security, Ruby Hall has taken all its safety lessons seriously. There are CCTV cameras within the hospital and all entrances are under observation. There are security guards and strict checks at entrances to the hospital.

Chief security officer, Lt Col Satish Kumar Bhatia, said, "I do not take any risk when it comes to security. Thereby towards the evening, we start closing many of the entrances and keep open only the main ones."

Jehangir Hospital
At Jehangir hospital, we were welcomed by metal detectors and a strict security-check. There were CCTV cameras at all the entrance and exits. Chief security officer, Jalinder Chandan Shive, said, "We make it a point to change the security agency after every three years. We have also planned for emergency situations."

Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital
This hospital too has taken ample security measures. Sophisticated equipment like X-ray scanners, CCTV cameras are in place as well as security guards at the entrances.

Legal matters
"In most cases of attacks on hospitals and its staff members, we feel that there is need to create awareness about Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions Act 2010," said Dr Devendra Shirole, vice-president, member of medico legal cell of IMA.

On the other hand we advice our members on how rapport can be built with the patients' relatives. We also advice our members to install CCTV cameras, as in case of attack it provides evidence, and it is helpful for doctors as well as patients' relatives to monitor his or her conditions.
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IMA had asked its members from different cities to form a team to help the hospitals or doctors, in case of confrontational situations."

Advocate Milind Salunkhe, medico legal expert, said, "According to legislation passed to prevent attacks on Health Care Institutions and Health Services, such offense (damaging hospital property) is non-bailable and
non-compoundable.

The person or group can be imprisoned for up to three years, heavy fines can be imposed and double the amount extracted as compensation for damages."

Advocate Salunkhe said many times doctors themselves were loth to get entangled in legal matters. "But by doing they are hindering remedial measures," he said.

Police take
DCP Dnayaneshwar Chavan of Zone III, said: "We have asked private hospitals to take strict security measures inside hospital premises."

When it was pointed out that at the time of attack YCMH did not have CCTV footage or doorframe metal detectors, he said, "We will analyse the security issues at the public hospitals and issue circulars on the measures to be taken."