New security protocol on the cards for hospitals

Probe recommends action under PEEDA Act in newborn abduction case

RAWALPINDI:

The government has decided to tighten the security of hospitals in Rawalpindi after the kidnapping of an infant from a nursery at the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) a few days ago.

Sources said that security arrangements will be tightened at the HFH, the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, the District Headquarters Hospital, the Cantonment Board Hospital and other hospitals. They said that the recent kidnapping incident was not the first, but several kidnapping incidents had taken place earlier. Kidnappers were traced, and the infants were reunited with their parents, said sources.

Sources said that there were police pickets in all hospitals, however, their primary duty was to maintain the overall order at healthcare facilities.

Sources said that the government has decided to revisit the security arrangements at all public healthcare facilities where gynaecological operations were performed.

The new security system will focus on the security of nursery and paediatrics wards along with the elimination of existing loopholes.

The security guards deployed at both places will be registered with the jurisdiction police, while they will also be accountable in case of any kidnapping incident.

A list of staffers working in the nursery, paediatrics and gynaecology wards will be compiled while their check-in timings will be provided to the police pickets established in the hospitals.

The government will also install CCTV cameras on entry and exit points of these wards, which will be equipped with night vision technology that remains functional even in absence of electricity. The data of the staffers deployed in hospitals’ control rooms and parking staff will also be compiled.

The parents of the newborns will also be enlightened not to provide any details to any stranger.

Meanwhile, the HFH management has submitted a report on the infant’s kidnapping incident to Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid.

According to the reporter, the watchman of the nursery, a nurse and the caretaker woman did not follow and implement the security SOPs on the day when the newborn was kidnapped.

Sources said that the committee has recommended action against the responsible under PEEDA Act. The report has also recommended investigating the nursing staff of the HFH as well. The formation of another committee for listing the responsibilities of the nurses has been suggested in the report as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2021.