Odisha to tighten security in government hospitals

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Apr 5:

In the wake of growing instances of attacks on doctors and cases of child thefts in hospitals in Odisha, Health & Family Welfare Secretary today directed for tightening of security in all government hospitals to ensure protection to doctors and hospitals.

Health & Family Welfare Secretary Dr Pramod Kumar Meherda today shot letters directing all District Collectors for installation of CCTV cameras in all government hospitals to strengthen security.

Visitor’s pass system for attendants/relatives of in-patients will be introduced, said the letter.

In order to curb overcrowding of attendants/relatives of in-patients in hospitals each in-patient will be issued a maximum of two visitor passes, it added.

Besides, all employees of the hospitals will be issued with identity cards, the letter said.

Entry of the general public and vehicles is to be regulated strictly to stop thoroughfare, the letter adds.

Signage highlighting the Odisha Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage of Property) Act, 2008 would be placed in front of the health institutions, said the Health secretary in the letter.

Further, a public redressal system would be developed in which the aggrieved attendants may approach the health authorities at the time of need rather than taking the law into their hands, the letter stated.

It may be recalled here that junior doctors and house surgeons of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack had recently been on a cease work agitation over the attack on a doctor by a patient’s relatives, who had thrashed a doctor alleging negligence in treatment which had led to the death of the patient.

Further, there had been recent instances of child thefts at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack and Sadar Hospital in Sambalpur pointing a finger at the security lapses in government-run hospitals in the state.