No CCTV cover at Lotus Hospital,nor at most others in Navi Mumbai and city

Dr Shobhna Tehera,superintendent of Cama & Albless Hospital that was targeted on 26/11,said,“We sent a proposal in December 2008 requesting a complete overhaul of hospital security. Not only CCTVs,we also asked for metal detectors and permission for patrolling by retired members of the armed forces.” She said there has been no communication from the Directorate of Medical Education and Research(DMER).

Director,DMER,Dr WB Tayade said,“We have received proposals from the superintendents of all four hospitals in Mumbai. We are deliberating the logistics.” Officials added many hospitals had funded their own security.

Though all civic hospitals were brought under CCTV coverage,they have still had controversies. Two of 12 CCTVs at VN Desai Municipal Hospital in Santacruz,where a two-month-old infant was abducted last week,were dysfunctional. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Vakola) Arvind Mahabdi said,“The quality of the footage was very poor. We have been working on the case since Friday afternoon and only today have we been able to identify the face of the woman,though she took off her veil at the entrance of the hospital.”

BMC authorities blame it on poor maintenance. Deputy Municipal Commissioner Chandrashekhar Rokade said,“The lenses were not cleaned properly,which led to poor quality of images captured.” Despite complaints of cameras shutting down,the private firm contracted for maintenance had not responded,he said,adding the BMC was working on increasing the number of cameras at all hospitals.

The BMC has a sanctioned strength of 915 guards for three major municipal hospitals and sixteen peripheral hospitals. These are mostly occupied,but officials admitted the number is not adequate. There are plans to hire from private agencies 500 for civic hospitals,including 200 women guards for maternity homes and maternity wards. Following a directive by the High Court after the theft of a baby from the Sion hospital in January 2009,the BMC had pledged to fill these vacancies urgently by approaching private security agencies. The decision remains in the proposal stage.