The Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (GH) has decided to speed up the process of enhancing its security system after Wednesday night’s brutal attack that led to the death of a patient.
“This is the first time such an incident has been reported in the hospital,” said GH dean V. Kanagasabai. He said the ward on the third floor where the attack had taken place and the two corridors leading out of the ward were not monitored by CCTV cameras, as they are not considered vulnerable locations.
The hospital had installed CCTV cameras on its premises in June 2012, after attacks on doctors by patients and their attendants. The dean can view the recordings on a television in his office.
The cameras are located in the casualty and emergency wards and at the entrance to some blocks. “We have 68 cameras in strategic locations and around 65 security personnel are on duty round-the-clock,” Dr. Kanagasabai said.
Twenty-four police officers are on patrol duty in three shifts. “Recently we called for tenders to install cameras in the outpatient areas for an estimated Rs. 7 lakh,” Dr. Kanagasabai added.
Around 90 more security personnel will be posted in April, following a pending request from the hospital, he said.
The main doors of the twin tower blocks are closed after 9 p.m., and entry is only allowed through the side entrances at the casualty department in tower block 2. The twin towers are connected by corridors and are not monitored by CCTV cameras.
Most staff members who came for their morning shift around 7 a.m. on Thursday heard about the incident only after arriving.
