Public hospitals in Ahmedabad have started to strengthen their security following the mob attack on R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata late Wednesday following the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the hospital premises. In one of the most significant steps taken towards the security of woman doctors, especially students living on the Medicity campus in Ahmedabad, where the state's biggest civil hospital is located, SHE Team personnel have been deployed next to the women's hostel. Also, women constables will now accompany doctors to the hospital during late hours. The massive 110-acre campus, which includes the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital (CHA), the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre (IKDRC), the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre (UNMICRC) and Gujarat Cancer Research Institute (GCRI) among other ancillary institutions like the M&J Institute of Ophthalmology, the Government Dental College and Government Spine Institute, is the largest medical facility on the western coast of India. Superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi told The Indian Express, "Apart from the SHE Team, we have made a lot of changes. We have identified risky places like the canteen near the old trauma centre, which has been shut down because many unsavoury people used to sit there. We have relocated the police chowki to the central area. Security has been increased at areas near the BJ Medical College and TB Hospital. We have deployed roving teams of seven guards each to keep vigil across the campus." "We will not permit any person who has no work at the hospital to be on the campus. Further, we have installed speed breakers to stop people from speeding within the campus. We have repaired all lights and installed some floodlights as well. Local police have been very helpful. We have also consulted students on what concerns they may have with regards to security," he added. Trauma centre and the ICU will become even more restricted in terms of entry and exit at the CHA. The civil hospital currently has 532 guards and an additional 30 guards will will added to this force. This is separate from the guards employed by IKDRC, GCRI and UNMICRC. Notably, due to the ongoing doctors' strike, the OPD of the civil hospital, which usually witnesses 900 patients on average on Saturdays, almost doubled to 1,792 patients on August 17. Meanwhile, at the second major tertiary level hospital in Ahmedabad, GMERS Medical College at Sola, officials have introduced the visitor pass system, allowing only two relatives to visit patients at any given time. Also, guards have been deployed at all wards and OPDs. Superintendent Dr Deepika Singhal Saxena said, "We have restricted access to only two gates and are planning to increase night security in the campus. We have already secured the entire campus with CCTV cameras." Maninagar-based LG hospital Superintendent Dr Leena Dabhi said, "We already have a lot of security at the casualty and main gate areas. We have also increased the number of CCTV cameras recently, covering all floors of the hospital. We are now planning to increase night security. Our hostel is also inside the campus so it comes under the new security arrangements." There are 78 guards, including bouncers, at Shardaben Hospital in Ahmedabad, Superintendent Dr Hetal Vora said. "We have seen NMC (National Medical Commission) guidelines directing that hostel security must be increased and all areas must be well lit. We have CCTV cameras but in the last two days, we have taken an overview of the entire campus and will make sure that any and all dark spots are covered." Notably, students have complained to the hospital management about thefts happening in the surrounding areas. Dr Vora said she has taken cognizance of the issue and plans to install barbed wire fences across the hospital walls to secure the premises. The SVP Hospital, the latest Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation-run healthcare facility in Gujarat, has 150 professional round-the-clock security guards and enough CCTV cameras. Hospital CEO Saurabh Patel said, "Our security detail covers 99 per cent of the hospital and all entering the hospital must have ID cards. Everyone inside the premises is being monitored at all times."
