Entrance to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack

Cuttack, Feb. 5: Police want to upgrade security on the SCB Medical College and Hospital campus along with installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at various locations.

Deputy commissioner of police of the city S. Praveen Kumar had reviewed the security system on the campus. He has “emphasised the need to ensure security to women attendants of patients, women staff members, and girl students of medicine, nursing and other courses”.

“The hospital authorities have been urged to prevent free access of outsiders to the ladies’ hostel and nursing hostel and use CCTV cameras at the entrances for better monitoring,” said Kumar.

“The measures recommended to strengthen security necessitate deployment of 50 more security personnel in addition to the 200 already appointed and installation of CCTV cameras at several locations on the campus. Since they entails a sizeable expenditure, a proposal would be put up before the Swasthya Bikash Samiti for necessary approval,” said hospital superintendent Ramesh Samantaray.

The Samiti, headed by the revenue divisional commissioner (central), is a monitoring body for the SCB.

Kumar urged the SCB authorities to install “Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) cameras on both main entrance gates — front gate on Mangalabag side and rear gate on Ranihat side”. The cameras not only facilitate high-resolution imaging, but also make long shots possible along with zooming and 360 degree rotation. Installation of the cameras has also been recommended for the front gates of ladies’ hostel, nursing hostel, gents’ hostel and the casualty unit.

“The authorities may procure walky-talky man pack systems and provide to the supervisors of the security personnel to have dedicated communication systems to respond to any emergency,” Kumar said. He assured the authorities of police help in the form of taking classes for a capsule training course for the security personnel.

The authorities have further been urged “to issue identity cards to all the personnel, who are employed in various departments of the hospital, college and other ancillary units”.

“The identity card will be issued after due verification of character and antecedents by the police station. All agencies appointed on contract basis and its personnel should provide the details of their names and other particulars to the police station along with photograph for conducting the verification of character and antecedents,” Kumar said.