Post 26/11, BMC to boost hospital security

Mumbai: In a bid to safeguard the city's healthcare network against natural and manmade disasters, the BMC is in the process of implementing a slew of measures. Staggered visiting hours to control the rush of patients' relatives, identity cards for people as well as vehicles entering hospital premises are among the steps being taken by the civic body to strengthen the security cover around city's many hospitals. The municipal corporation also plans to construct earthquake-resistant and lightning-proof hospital buildings.
    Cama Hospital was one of the places where terrorists had struck on November 26 last year. Sion hospital has been in the news for all the wrong reasons after a newborn was kidnapped from its maternity ward in January this year. These incidents prompted the civic agency to bring together its experts, hospital administrators from private sector and consultants on Wednesday to fortify the city's medical infrastructure against future disasters.
    Director of civic-run hospitals, Dr Sanjay Oak, said he was contemplating introducing staggered visiting hours for the relatives of patients at KEM Hospital. "We could allow one lot of relatives from 4pm to 6 pm, and the other from 6 pm onwards,'' he said, explaining that it would considerably ease the crowds.
    KEM Hospital is also likely to get RFID (radio-frequency identification) cards for cars entering the premises as well as relatives, so that they can be easily tracked.
    Director of Hinduja Hospital, Gustad Daver, pointed out that ill-equipped hospital can do little to help out victims in case of calamities. He recalled how over 1,300 primary health centres were destroyed during the Bhuj earthquake, thereby depriving many of much-needed medical relief.
    Civic officials said the new hospitals being constructed as well as those which were being re-developed would be fortified against natural disasters. The seven new towers coming up at KEM Hospital, the hospital coming up in Kandivli as well as the Cooper Hospital building would, for instance, be made earthquakeresistant and lightning-proof at the construction stage.
    Hospital consultant Vivek Desai of HOSMAC urged the civic-body to mobilise open grounds, municipal schools and stadiums as first-aid centres in times of disaster.
SHOT IN THE ARM
An array of steps are being taken to protect civic hospitals against disasters
    The BMC plans to introduce staggered visiting hours for the relatives of patients. The idea is likely to be implemented at KEM Hospital (above) first.
    RFID (radio-frequency identification) cards will be issued to cars as well as relatives entering the hospital premises, so that they can be easily tracked.
    The municipal corporation also plans to construct earthquakeresistant and lightning-proof hospital buildings.