KARACHI: Following the Civil Hospital Quetta tragedy that claimed the lives of at least 70 people and injured over 120,...
KARACHI: Following the Civil Hospital Quetta tragedy that claimed the lives of at least 70 people and injured over 120, administrations at public hospitals in Karachi have demanded the provincial government to provide the hospitals with ‘gunmen’ and not ‘watchdogs’.
At the Jinnah Post Graduate and Medical Centre (JPMC) that sees over 5000 outpatients and caters to more than 1200 emergencies every day, doctors are concerned about the lack of security.
The In-charge of Emergency Department at JPMC Dr Seemin Jamali said that they have Police and Rangers picket in the Hospital Emergency but it is not sufficient security presence to cater to a 1200-bed hospital.
Dr. Jamali added that after the 2010 suicide in front of the the Emergency a three tier security protocol is in place which includes private security, police and Rangers.
However private security personnel hired by the hospital are unarmed.
Dr. Jamali’s concerns are also shared by Dr. Qadir Patel at the Civil Hospital Karachi who says letters have been written to the Senior Superintendent of Police and the Rangers to increase the number of security personnel deployed in and around the hospital .
The most sensitive area of concern of the Civil Hospital management is the multitude of motorcylces parked in the hospital Emergency. When asked about the hundreds of motorbikes, Dr. Patel said he cannot do anything bout the bikes since the road does not fall under the hospital jurisdiction.
At Abbasi Shaheed Hospital the situation is not very different. The hospital does not have even a single police mobile present round the clock. Sources add that CCTV cameras at the hospital are also not functional. Dr. Muhammad Ali, Senior Director Health KMC complained that while he has 50 Assistant Wardens performing security duty at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital the don’t have any weapons or even metal detectors.
Dr. Ali told Geo News that he too has written a letter to the Police chief asking for security at all KMC hospitals to be increased.