CCTV cameras soon at Egmore maternity hospital

Chennai: The new building at the institute of obstetrics and gynaecology and government hospital for women and children, Egmore will soon have 22 CCTVs. The move comes following the arrest of a father who attempted to sell his 9-month-old daughter, Thursday night. This has brought to light how unsafe infants are in the hospital premises here. Resident medical officer of the hospital, Dr Krishnaveni, said, “On a daily basis, around 45 deliveries happen and 20 mothers are discharged. There are proper methods to check the newborns and their mothers at the out-post. People in the out-post check the tag on the newborn’s hand and the mother’s report with discharge summary before they leave the premises.”

There have been incidents of new mothers escaping from the hospital abandoning newborns amidst the bushes or in isolated places at the hospital. But, a father selling his 9-month-old child is new, the sources said. They added that a few years ago, people disguised as doctors would kidnap newborns. Brokers and agents also wandered about the hospital then. But, it was later curbed and brought under control. Official sources reveal that the CCTV installation has been sanctioned and every ward in the old buildings alreaady has a camera. Hospital staff have also been alerted to secretly eye public movement, the official added.