Despite repeated demands for installing CCTV cameras in maternity homes for better security for new born babies, so far only 37 per cent of the proposed CCTV cameras have been installed in 27 maternity homes and one maternity hospital.
Every year, around 80,000 babies are born in civic run maternity homes in the city. In the past, several newborn babies have been kidnapped from the hospitals due to lack of security.
In January of this year, a newborn child was kidnapped from the hospital.
The incident had many precedents. For instance in 2012, a day-old infant was kidnapped from Wadia hospital when the mother went for a walk. Similarly, in 2009, a four-day-old baby was kidnapped in Sion hospital. But due to lack of CCTV cameras in these hospitals, the police found it tough to investigate these cases. In a much earlier incident, a two-day-old child was lifted from JJ hospital in 2003.
To address the issue, BMC decided last year to complete installing CCTV cameras in all these hospitals by the end of 2015. But as per the data collected from the public health department, only 37 per cent of the proposed CCTV cameras have been installed. The remaining 63 per cent are yet to be installed with no specific deadline being proposed for the same.
Due to the difficulties faced in police investigation in cases of newborn infants being kidnapped, the Mumbai police in the past too has recommended the civic agency to install CCTV cameras for better security. The Bombay high court also recommended the same last year.
“After floating tenders, a few CCTV cameras have been installed in periphery and major hospitals. Maternity homes are yet to get it. But there is an ardent need to install it in all maternity homes,” said Arun Veer, former chief security officer of BMC.
However, BMC is planning to float another tender soon to install CCTV cameras in these hospitals. “We are working on it and soon we will float a tender focusing on it,” said the present chief security officer of BMC, Dattatray Patil.
