Ambala doctors seek better security, minister says written to DG

AMBALA: Doctors working in government hospitals in Ambala have asked for better security arrangements at the hospital premises, alleging that the current security level does not make them feel adequately safe while they are working. They said that as per the present setup of security system in Ambala hospitals, the security guards are unprofessional and hired through outsourcing. They are untrained in controlling the public in hospitals.
At present, the doctors in the out patient department (OPD) of civil hospitals of Ambala City and Cantonment are checking an average of 250 to 300 patients daily, apart from the emergency services.
Pathologist and resident medical officer at Ambala Cantonment hospital Dr Mukesh Kumar said: "The outsourced security guards are unprofessional and they are not trained to control the public in hospital. In emergency cases, we often have to face angry relatives of patients due to emotional sentiments. The public rarely understands that we are also humans and have to analyse the situation of every patient before taking any decision."
The fear among the doctors and their demand for better security is understandable considering the recent attacks on doctors by the public in West Bengal.
Eye surgeon Dr Anvi Munjal said: "The current security is at medium level and this needs to be improved. As the doctors are often confronted by relatives of patients, it becomes very difficult to work in such situations. Moreover, the safety of female doctors during the night duty is also a concern if there are no guards deployed. There have been incidents in the past where the doctors had to face the wrath of the patients' relatives."
Meanwhile, Haryana health minister Anil Vij said that he has written to the director general (DG) of health and the DG of homeguards to come up with a plan to provide the required security to doctors. "In Haryana we take care of doctors and we have installed CCTV cameras in all of our hospitals so that if any incident takes place it gets recorded. The security has also been deployed. Now I have written to DG health that if the deployment of police is not possible then to make arrangements for the homeguards to strengthen the security arrangements. The security of doctors is our concern and I have talked to DG homeguards as well. The doctors should feel safe in Haryana as we are making all possible arrangements for them," Vij said.
As per sources, there is a deficiency of specialized emergency medical officers (EMOs) in both the civil hospitals in Ambala and this is affecting the emergency services as the doctors on duty are often not specialized.
The doctors have said that medico-legal reports (MLR) become a problem for the doctors as in the medical cases where police is involved, it is the senior doctors who have to submit their statements in court.