The PCMC-run Yeshwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital has stepped up efforts to prevent any attempts to steal new born babies from the hospital wards. Among other things,the hospital has decided to put in place digital bio-metric identification facility,provide matching number tokens to parents and the child and increase female security guards in the maternity ward. YCMH medical superintendent Dr Anand Jagdale on Tuesday said the steps have been taken in view of the Bombay High Court guideliness received by the hospital last week. "The high court has listed several steps to be taken to prevent stealing of new born babies in government,semi-government and civic-run hospitals," he said. Dr Jagdale said though in 20 years of its history,YCM hospital never had any case of baby stealing,the administration has decided to increase the security and put a new system in place as per the directives of the high court. He said so far the hospital was implementing manual biometric system which involved taking footprints of the newborns on case papers. "Hereafter we will implement digital biometric system as per the high court guidelines. The system will take effect in a couple of days time," he said. Municipal Commissioner Asheesh Sharma said the proposal for installing CCTVs in hospital wards have already been approved. "We are in the process of installing the CCTVs. The work should start soon." He said the every child in the hospital and its parents will get a token of matching numbers and the same would be put on the case numbers as well. "The hospital administration has issued directives to its staff to ensure that no child is taken out of the labour ward and if the child is taken out,an identification band should be tied to its arm," Dr Jagdale said,adding that female security gurads had already been appointed. "They have been given walkie-talkies." Besides these,the hospital administration has also restricted the entry timings in the maternity wards to only 12 noon to 2 pm. "After delivery,if the woman would be allowed to go the same day or after two days if she is good health." HC guidelines for hospitals* CCTVs in gynaeclogy ward,labour room,paediatric ward,NICU,PICU.* Keep entry doors of wards closed and restrict and regulate movement round-the-clock.* Keep visitors register* Security guards round-the-clock* Female security guards* Walkie-talkies for guards* Public address system* LCD players at important places* Signs,boards in Marathi.* Matching identification marks for mother,father with number* Biometric identification facility for every new born* No infant be allowed to go out of ward without permission.* If baby is taken out ward,person taking out must wear identification band* Only female visitor allowed at night with mother.
