The Odisha government on Wednesday directed the district collectors to tighten security in all public hospitals to ensure the protection of doctors and staff.

The government direction came after increasing cases of untoward incidents in the premises of health institutions like manhandling of doctors and staff of the institutions. Health Secretary P.K. Meherda in a letter to the district collectors directed installing of CCTV cameras in government hospitals for the safety of doctors and staff.

He also directed issuance of ID cards to regular and contractual employees of the hospitals. He said visitors passes will be introduced for indoor patients. Two entry passes will be issued per patient for attending the patient during the official visiting hour and the attendants entering the ward will be frisked by the internal security guards, he added.

Meherda said the entry of the general public and vehicles is to be regulated strictly to stop thoroughfare. Besides, signage highlighting the Odisha Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage of Property) Act, 2008 would be placed in front of the health institutions, said the Health secretary. He said a public redressal system would be developed in which the aggrieved attendants may approach the health authorities at the time of need rather than taking the law into their hands.