Srinagar, Nov 12: Lal Ded Maternity Hospital, an associated facility of Government Medical College Srinagar, has strengthened its security measures and high-end CCTV cameras have been sanctioned to ensure the safety of female staff, officials said.
The decision followed the rape-murder case of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College & Hospital in August. After the incident, the sole tertiary-cum-maternity facility recommended measures like installing CCTV cameras in dark and sensitive areas.
Medical Superintendent, Lal Ded Hospital, Dr Muzaffar Jan said they have taken many measures like providing separate space for female doctors for their safety and security.
“We have designated two rooms for female staff: one adjacent to the casualty area and another as a rest room for female doctors working 24/7 in the labor room,” he said.
The largest maternity hospital in the valley has installed signages displaying doctors’ rights in accordance with Supreme Court of India directives.
On the directions of Secretary Health and Medical Education and Principal GMC Srinagar, additional 32 new CCTV cameras including four Pan, Tilt, and Zoom (PTZ) have been sanctioned for the hospital. “The CCTV cameras have been sanctioned by the administrative department and the tendering process is almost completed,” he said.
The hospital has also installed PTZ cameras in its parking area for the safety of patients, attendants and the hospital staff as well.
“Majority of the staff here are females and work in all the corners of the hospital from the gate to the theatre, it is important to ensure their safety so that any untoward incident may not happen,” he said.
After the tragic incident, the Centre had directed hospitals to employ an adequate number of well-trained security guards to monitor and patrol the hospital premises effectively. “Post the Kolkata incident we have improved security personnel by engaging ten more security persons,” the MS said.
After the Kolkata’s doctors’ rape-murder case, the hospital had also constituted an internal sexual harassment committee tasked to ensure timely and effective response to conduct enquiry of sexual harassment against any employee of this hospital, if any. Notably, the LD has in place the hospital’s security and violence prevention committee.
Earlier in August, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had urged the heads of Central Government hospitals and institutes to strengthen security measures across their facilities.
The ministry had then highlighted that government hospitals’ high permeability to the public poses security risks, thereby necessitating comprehensive measures to protect healthcare workers and patients.
The directives were followed after a Supreme Court order that had emphasized the need for immediate remedial actions to ensure the safety of medical professionals across the country.
