BMC posts almost 400 guards at four hospitals

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday deployed 397 security guards of the Maharashtra State Security Force in four major civic-run medical college-cum hospitals in the city to provide safety to doctors.

The guards were deployed at KEM Hospital, LTMG (Sion) Hospital, BYL Nair Hospital and RN Cooper Hospital in the city.

Around 4,500 resident doctors had recently gone on a ‘mass leave’ strike over a a spate of attacks on doctors by the relatives of patients.  The resident doctors had demanded, among others, increased security for doctors, two passes per each patient and an alarm system to alert security personnel if relatives of patients assault doctors.

Dr Avinash Supe, director of major civic-run hospitals, said, “In civic-run KEM hospital, there are 99 guards deployed. They will work in three shifts of 33 each and 15 are armed. They will be around the entrance and at places where emergency service is offered.”

Idzes Kundan, assistant municipal commissioner, said, “They will only check the entry points.  Two relatives per patient are strictly followed. CCTV monitoring has started.”

Out Patient Department (OPD) area is demarcated.”

While 93 guards were posted at Sion Hospital, 42 were deployed at Nair Hospital. An additional 56 guards will be deployed at Nair later and 107 guards will be deployed at Cooper Hospital.

Dr Suleman Merchant, dean of Sion Hospital, said, “Emergency hotline (3374) has been set up for all employees to activate for Rapid Action Force for prompt response. Entry has been segregated at all gates.”

There will be strict implementation of colour-coded passes for patients and relatives with fixed validity. Random checks will be carried out to ensure people without a pass are not present within the hospital. Emergency alarm has been installed and its numbers will be extended to 17. Intelligent alarm system (wireless) is also planned to be implemented.”