Pune: Govt has launched a comprehensive security overhaul across all govt medical colleges and hospitals in the state following the gruesome rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. Dinesh Waghmare, principal secretary of the medical education and drugs department, told TOI that extensive measures were being implemented to enhance safety of nurses and women students. A new pass system for entry and exit monitoring was central to the security revamp and had been introduced to restrict access to authorised personnel.
“Identification badges have been issued to staff and will be given to all patients and visitors. We have made it mandatory for hospital staff to display their ID cards while on duty,” Waghmare said. An escort service had been implemented in medical colleges with large campuses to ensure women resident doctors and nurses were accompanied by security personnel and a senior female staff member when travelling distances within the premises, he added.
“In order to strengthen law enforcement connections, senior IPS officers have been assigned to each medical college for quick support and better coordination with local police. A thorough security audit has been conducted across all govt medical colleges to identify and rectify blind spots. Over 2,500 security personnel from the Maharashtra Security Force and Ex-Servicemen Corporation have been deployed to bolster on-ground security,” Waghmare said.
The security strategy included mobil.