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Ludhiana civil hospital to get 12 security guards
SMO Dr Akhil Sareen says hiring process initiated, salaries to be paid through Emergency Response Fund for 1st two months
The Ludhiana civil hospital is set to get 12 security guards as the government has approved the deployment of 200 security guards across district hospitals in the state. According to an official order issued by Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) on Wednesday, the security personnel will be hired through an outsourcing agency — Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO). Their salaries will be paid from the Emergency Response Fund (ERF) for an initial period of two months (January and February), after which the funding mechanism is expected to be reviewed in the new financial year.
The decision comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over hospital safety, crowd control and protection of medical staff and patients, particularly at high footfall government hospitals. The Ludhiana civil hospital, one of the busiest public healthcare facilities in the region caters to hundreds of patients daily, including emergency and referral cases from surrounding areas.
Hospital officials acknowledged that the facility has long faced security-related challenges, including unregulated entry points, overcrowding and limited monitoring of patient attendants which at times escalate into brawls and hamper smooth hospital functioning.
Officials said the deployment of these security guards is aimed at immediate risk mitigation, especially in sensitive areas within the hospital premises such as emergency wards and labour rooms. “The situation is more severe in the emergency ward of the civil hospital which deals with a large number of medico legal cases every day, catering to patients who suffer injuries during fights and brawls. In many such cases, the people accompanying the injured patients also get involved in heated arguments or even violent incidents within the hospital premises.
This often creates chaos and puts doctors, nurses and other hospital staff at risk. The presence of trained security personnel is therefore expected to help in managing crowds, preventing violence and maintaining order while also ensuring a safer and more secure working environment for healthcare workers,” said an official from the emergency department.
Senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Akhil Sareen said the hiring process has been initiated and will be completed in a few days. “The appointment is being carrying out in three phases. In the first phase, the deployment will be conducted at civil hospitals. The subdivisional hospitals will be the focus in the second and the community health centres in the third. Currently, the deployment is taking place under phase 1,” he said.
Dr Sareen further added that the civil hospital has been managing security through limited internal resources. “At present, the civil hospital employs around seven to eight security guards, whose salaries are paid from user charges which is revenue generated through hospital services. These guards are working in three shifts and are responsible to manage security round the clock,” he said.
Dr Sareen added that the hospital currently spends between ₹1.68 lakh and ₹1.92 lakh per month on security arrangements. “With the deployment of guards through PESCO and their salaries being covered under the ERF, this financial burden will not be borne by the hospital during the sanctioned period,” he said.
