Mumbai, Nov 24: A sudden overhaul of the security system has created confusion among doctors at Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle after they noticed the absence of guards in the Out-Patient Department (OPD).
The hospital has witnessed several assaults on doctors in recent weeks, increasing anxiety among staff and prompting the Cooper Hospital unit of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) to raise concerns with the administration.
Recent Assault Sparks Alarm
On November 8, three doctors were attacked by a man after a 60-year-old patient died during treatment. Shockingly, the security personnel present in the emergency ward allegedly remained passive during the incident, raising serious questions about the efficiency of the contracted security agency.
BMC Removes 150 Guards After Lapses
Following the incident, the BMC administration removed around 150 personnel of the outsourced agency and initiated the process to appoint a new one. It later emerged that both the old and proposed agencies were operated by the same individual under different company names.
BMC Deploys Its Own Staff Temporarily
As the appointment of a new agency will take time, the BMC temporarily deployed its own staff. About 90 personnel were pooled from various departments and assigned to Cooper Hospital. The abrupt shift led to confusion among doctors, who initially believed no security had been deployed.
Misunderstanding Over Deployment Clarified
Chief Security Officer Ajit Tawade said the misunderstanding has now been cleared. “Doctors were not aware that BMC security personnel had been deputed,” he said. Tawade added that 90 guards will be deployed round the clock in three shifts, with fewer staff required at night. Previously, 150 guards were posted across the hospital.
Reduced Guard Strength Raises Concerns
Under the revised arrangement, one guard will be assigned to each floor instead of every ward or OPD, raising concerns about reduced vigilance.
“With limited manpower, we cannot post guards in each ward or OPD. Doctors are demanding the same strength they had with the private agency. We deploy security in the same manner at Sion, KEM and other hospitals. At present, we are functioning with only 50 percent of the required strength,” Tawade said.
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MARD Warns of Mass Leave if No Improvement
MARD president Dr. Chinmay Kelkar said doctors have been assured that security deployment will be gradually increased. “If there is no improvement, we will be forced to go on mass leave,” he warned.
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