‘Electronic bracelets to end newborn kidnappings’
SIMS principal says project will be launched at Services Hospital first
LAHORE:
A decision has been taken to introduce a radio frequency identification (RFID) system to prevent the abductions of newborn babies in government hospitals of Punjab.
According to the officials of the Punjab health department, the project will initially be introduced at the Services Hospital this month and later to other hospitals of Punjab
The decision to utilise modern technology to prevent abductions of newborns at government hospitals was taken by the Specialised Health care and Medical Education department. The frequency of the bracelets of mother and newborn will be the same and will be connected to a central monitoring system at the hospital.
Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) Principal Dr Mahmood Ayaz, confirming the launch of the project, the RFID system is being introduced at the gynaecology and pediatric wards of the SIMS in the first phase.
Kidnapping: Newborn kidnapped from hospital
"It is not an expensive system. We have sent a proposal to the health department and soon we will purchase the system," said Dr Ayaz.
He added that prior to this, the mother and her child were tagged on the wrist with plastic bracelets containing a number. "However, now they will wear RFID bracelets. Due to this bracelet, whenever the child is taken out of the specified area, an alert will be issued with the system and a siren will start ringing," he explained.
He hoped that with this system, there would be a decline in the cases of kidnappings of newborns. "In the past, closed-circuit cameras helped prevent the abduction of newborn babies, but could not achieve substantial results,” he said.
“Many countries, including India, use this modern system for the protection of children, while private hospitals in Pakistan are also using these electronic security bracelets,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2018.
A decision has been taken to introduce a radio frequency identification (RFID) system to prevent the abductions of newborn babies in government hospitals of Punjab.
According to the officials of the Punjab health department, the project will initially be introduced at the Services Hospital this month and later to other hospitals of Punjab
The decision to utilise modern technology to prevent abductions of newborns at government hospitals was taken by the Specialised Health care and Medical Education department. The frequency of the bracelets of mother and newborn will be the same and will be connected to a central monitoring system at the hospital.
Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) Principal Dr Mahmood Ayaz, confirming the launch of the project, the RFID system is being introduced at the gynaecology and pediatric wards of the SIMS in the first phase.
Kidnapping: Newborn kidnapped from hospital
"It is not an expensive system. We have sent a proposal to the health department and soon we will purchase the system," said Dr Ayaz.
He added that prior to this, the mother and her child were tagged on the wrist with plastic bracelets containing a number. "However, now they will wear RFID bracelets. Due to this bracelet, whenever the child is taken out of the specified area, an alert will be issued with the system and a siren will start ringing," he explained.
He hoped that with this system, there would be a decline in the cases of kidnappings of newborns. "In the past, closed-circuit cameras helped prevent the abduction of newborn babies, but could not achieve substantial results,” he said.
“Many countries, including India, use this modern system for the protection of children, while private hospitals in Pakistan are also using these electronic security bracelets,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2018.