Hospital security: ‘Stop kidnapping of newborns’

Health Secretary orders all dysfunctional CCTV cameras at public hospitals to be activated

LAHORE: The Health Department has asked teaching hospital principals, medical colleges, medical superintendents (MS), district and tehsil headquarters hospitals and executive district officers to take steps to check kidnapping of newborns at public hospitals. Health Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik said the MS of the hospital concerned would be held responsible in case of such incidents. He ordered that labour rooms and nurseries should be declared no go areas. The  secretary ordered that all dysfunctional CCTV cameras at public hospitaks be activated. He said only one attendant should be allowed in a labour room or a nursery and that, too, after proper verification. He said hospital officials would handover newborns to their parents and maintain their record.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2014.