CHENNAI: Metal detectors and bag scanners will be introduced in a select few government hospitals on a pilot basis, and it will be extended to all government hospitals in a phased manner.
In addition, colour-coded hand tags for attenders, which was introduced on a pilot basis at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital since October, will be extended to other hospitals, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Thursday.
The announcements follow the incident on Wednesday in which a government doctor was stabbed by a patient’s son at Kalaignar Centenary Super-Specialty Hospital, as he was unhappy with the treatment provided to his cancer-stricken mother. The condition of the victim, Dr J Balaji, has improved and was shifted to the ward from the ICU on Thursday evening.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Subramanian said discussions are being held with the director of medical education and director of medical services to implement the new security measures.
As for the colour-coded hand tags, attendants of patients at surgical super speciality will get a green tag, ICU attendants will get red tags, yellow for super speciality attendants, and blue for general patient attendants.
The move aims to keep track and restrict the number of attendants in the hospital. This has been one of the main demands by government doctors. Two attendants per patient will be given tags. For contract workers, biometric attendance will be introduced.
The tag system will be implemented in all 36 medical college hospitals, 37 headquarters, and taluk and non-taluk hospitals. Besides, safety measures, already discussed following the murder of a PG doctor at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, like conducting safety audits in hospitals with the police department, and ensuring functional CCTVs will be implemented effectively, Subramanian added.
Health workers have been encouraged to download the ‘Kaaval Uthavi’ app, while the management of hospitals have been instructed to ensure good lighting on the premises.
28K clinics closed, 15K surgeries postponed
Chennai: Indian Medical Association (TN chapter) said around 15,000 elective surgeries were postponed on Thursday after doctors, nurses, and postgraduate doctors across the state protested against the attack on Dr J Balaji. The protest was called off later in the day after TNGDA members, along with their President Dr K Senthil, held talks with Health Minister Ma Subramanian in Chennai.
In its statement, TNGDA said the health minister and chief minister have assured that all safety measures would be implemented, and immediate care would be provided to Dr J Balaji. All doctors would work from Friday, it added.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr K M Abul Hasan, IMA (Tamil Nadu chapter) president, said around 28,000 private clinics across the state did not function, and around 15,000 elective surgeries were postponed. The Indian Medical Association, in solidarity with the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association (TNGDA) and others, went on a one-day strike till 6pm on Thursday.
CM calls up injured doc
Chief Minister M K Stalin called up Dr J Balaji over phone and inquired about his health. Bajali told the chief minister that he has five more years of government service left and he would like to continue the rest of his tenure at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Specialty Hospital at Guindy, Ma Subramanian said.