Hospital security: New measures in place for emergency dept

Security cards will be issued to patients, attendants at Jinnah Hospital

LAHORE: Jinnah Hospital has introduced new security measures at its Emergency Department in view of the security situation in the country, Jinnah Hospital Security Department director Iftikhar Ahmed told the APP on Sunday. He said security cards would be issued to patients and one of their attendants at the time of admission. He said they would be allowed to enter the department only on showing their security cards to the guard at the entrance. Nobody would be allowed to enter the premises without the card, he said.

Ahmed said that besides helping monitor movement of people in and out of the department the new measure would help bring down the number of people present in the department at any given time. Ahmed said 80 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras had been installed to monitor movement at entry and exit points. Another 60 CCTV cameras were needed along the boundary wall to ensure foolproof surveillance, he said. He said the number of personnel needed at the premises for security duties was around 200.

He said that around 10,000 vehicles including private cars and vans and ambulances visited the hospital every day.

There was also a need to set up a fire station at the hospital to ensure timely response to a fire emergency.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th,  2016.