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Health board to conduct security audit in Mohali hospitals, says DC
The District Health Board (DHB) will include the DC Jain as chairperson besides SSP, civil surgeon, principal/ medical superintendent of the local medical college, nursing sister as representative of paramedic staff, district president of Indian Medical Association and the district attorney
To ensure security of doctors and employees in hospitals, local administration has established a seven-member health board which will be headed by deputy commissioner (DC) Aashika Jain.
After the rape murder of a junior resident doctor at a hospital in Kolkata last month, state health minister Dr Balbir Singh, in compliance with Supreme Court’s guidelines to safeguard the interests of healthcare professionals and paramedic staff; ordered DCs across state to ensure preventive measures.
The board will now evaluate security measures required at all the hospitals in the district and will submit its reports to DC and senior superintendent of police (SSP) for further action.
The District Health Board (DHB) will include the DC Jain as chairperson besides SSP, civil surgeon, principal/ medical superintendent of the local medical college, nursing sister as representative of paramedic staff, district president of Indian Medical Association and the district attorney.
DC Jain chaired the first meeting of the board on Tuesday.
Holding a press conference along with Mohali SSP Deepak Pareek at the DIstrict Administrative Complex; DC Jain said a security audit has been ordered at District Hospital, Sub-Divisional Hospital, community health centres and primary health centres that work as 24x7 facilities.
She said the safety audit will be carried out by the hospital security and the violence prevention committee will be headed by the senior medical officers.
Jain has asked the sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) to visit these health facilities personally for completing the security audit within the next 10 days.
“We will ensure that all the CCTV cameras already installed at these health facilities are functional and also cover the dark corners of these health buildings. Additional lights will be installed at these dark corners. Apart from that, a single pass will be issued to the attendants in facilities with heavy footfall,” she added.
Moreover she asked the Mohali civil surgeon to install boards carrying contact numbers of the nearest police stations, both in English and Punjabi, at all health facilities.
“In case of emergency or distress, healthcare staff can contact or dial “112” helpline. Photo identity cards will also be issued to all the staff members of the hospitals to rule out the movement of any suspicious persons. Each staff member should mandatorily wear an ID card during working hours. DHB’will meet monthly,” DC Jain added.
Police issue guidelines to private hospitals
SSP Pareek claimed that the district police, after recently conducting a security audit of all private health facilities, issued the necessary guidelines for the safety of doctors and other paramedic staff.
He added that besides day patrolling, special night patrolling would be done at 10 identified spots.
Pareek urged all senior medical officers to monitor the functioning of CCTV cameras daily.
DC Jain further added that a five-member internal committee on sexual harassment in hospitals and other organisations where female staff is employed, is mandatory.
Various officials, including additional deputy commissioner Sonam Chaudhary, civil surgeon Dr Renu Singh; principal of Medical College, Mohali, Dr Bhavneet Bharti; medical superintendent Dr Navdeep and district immunisation officer Dr Girish Dogra and SDMs attended the meeting.
