The problem of overcrowding around a patient at the PMCH is hardly over as Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar talks to a girl on Sunday. The girl was injured during a flag-hoisting ceremony on Independence Day. (PTI)

This Independence Day, Patna Medical College and Hospital revived its entry pass system to restrict the overflow of attendants at the health hub.

The system was not in use for the past one-and-a-half years. The PMCH had decided to restart it from August 15. According to sources, the PMCH administration had taken the decision because of a series of events.

Recently, a two-day-old boy was stolen from the gynaecology department of the health hub. Kalavati Devi, a resident of Arwal was admitted to the admission ward of the gynaecological department of the PMCH on May 16 with labour pain. She gave birth to a boy the same day. When her health started deteriorating, she was shifted to the intensive care unit, from where her baby went missing. After five days of heavy hunting, police recovered the baby from Phulwarisharif.

PMCH superintendent Amar Kant Jha Amar, however, said security was not the only issue for which the pass system was reintroduced.

“Many a time there have been scuffles between doctors and patients but we were not able to save doctors from the atrocities of the attendants because they came in large numbers. So, it had become very important for us to come up with some initiative that could restrict the flow of patients’ relatives,” Amar said.

Jha added: “We are issuing two passes for one patient. Only two relatives are allowed to enter the ward at a time. We introduced the pass system in the emergency and other wards as well.”

On what is being done to ensure the implementation of the entry pass system this time, Jha said: “We are asking the guards to keep a tab on whether or not the visitors are coming with passes. If someone doesn’t have the pass, one would not be allowed in any ward, at any cost. We have 766 former armymen as security guards at the hospital. They are ensuring the implementation of the system.”