Karnataka: Mobile theft cases on rise at Gadag district hospital

GADAG: The Gadag district hospital, maintained by the Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences, (GIMS) is again in the news for all the wrong reasons. Now cases of mobile phone theft are increasing in the hospital. Earlier, the hospital gained disrepute for using stretchers and wheelchairs to shift and dump garbage. There is no security to valuables or belongings of patients and attendants.
Some miscreants are targeting the labour and other wards to steal mobile phones and cash.
Basayya Nandikolmath, president of Praja Parivarthana Vedike, a forum, told STOI that people fear visiting GIMS as there is no proper security to their valuables. “Many who take admission here are poor. If they lost their mobile or other possessions, it would be a big loss for them,” he said.
“Every day, 10-15 mobiles are stolen from the labour ward alone. In the last two days, more than 120 mobiles have been stolen from the hospital. Though there are many CCTV cameras in the premises, hospital authorities have failed to curb these thefts. It seems that most of the CCTVs are defunct and should be checked. Moreover, there is lapse on part of the security persons too. A proper inquiry should be ordered on this issue as we suspect that some hospital staff are involved in these thefts,” he alleged . He added that there are no adequate security guards to keep an eye on visitors.
A patient’s attendant, who lost a mobile phone said, “We are now worried that if such thefts are not curbed immediately, miscreants may start stealing newly born babies. The hospital should increase security and keep a watch on visitors regularly.”
GIMS director Dr Rekha Sonavane said “We don’t have government approved security persons as the government has not yet given approval to appoint security guards or outsource any agency for security works. Now, we are deploying group D employees as security in the hospital.”
“We have already filed a case with Gadag rural police regarding mobile thefts in the hospital and will also hold a meeting on Monday with hospital staff to increase security measures. I have already served notice to the hospital superintendent seeking an explanation on increasing mobile theft cases in the hospital,” she said.
“I will soon talk to the Gadag SP and senior officials to increase security in the hospital,” she assured.