Delhi: Months after GTB shooting, hospitals remain vulnerable to violence

More than a month has passed since the shooting at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital in East Delhi, yet health institutions across the national capital remain inadequately prepared to prevent future security breaches.

On July 14, a male patient was gunned down inside the hospital, sending shockwaves through the city. In response, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj directed hospitals to urgently enhance their security to protect healthcare professionals.

Bharadwaj announced new measures, including the installation of metal detectors at emergency entrances, the deployment of armed guards, and a request for round-the-clock constable presence at major hospitals.

Yet, weeks later, the question remains: are our hospitals any safer?

The answer, however, is a resounding no. During a three-day investigation from August 23 to 25, the Patriot visited several government hospitals across the capital and found that the security measures mandated by the government remain largely unrealised.

During the visits, it became evident that hospitals in the city are neglecting the guidelines and directives issued by the city government.

Major Delhi government hospitals, including GTB Hospital, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, and Lok Nayak Hospital, were found lacking necessary security mea sures.

Security measures were similarly deficient in both central government-run hospitals, such as Lady Hardinge Medical College, Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, as well as in private hospitals like Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

Lady Hardinge Medical College and Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital Lady Hardinge Medical College and Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital (LHMC and KSCH), one of Delhi’s top hospitals for neonatology, does not have any armed guards or CCTV cameras at its three emergency exits.

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According to sources in the administration, “The installation of CCTV cameras and metal detectors at the premises is in the pipeline.” They added, “The security measures directed by the Health Minister will soon be implemented, as Lady Hardinge Hospital is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for the doctors.”

Notably, KSCH caters to a large population in the city. Initially, the hospital had only 50 beds. By 1994, this number had increased to 350, and it now has a total of 377 beds. Additionally, it features the largest neonatal wing in Delhi, with 84 beds

Lok Nayak Hospital

Lok Nayak Hospital, with its 1,597 beds, has installed metal detectors and CCTV cameras at the emergency gate. However, during Patriot’s visit, the guards stationed at the emergency gate were found to be unarmed. Additionally, the emergency gate remains fully open, allowing people to enter the facility without passing through the metal detectors, and the guards do not stop anyone.

A Junior Resident Doctor (JRD), who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of administrative repercussions, stated, “The guards at the emergency gate are entirely ineffective. They merely sit in their chairs and allow anyone to enter the facility. With each patient, numerous relatives and family members enter the emergency facility, whereas only two people should be allowed inside. There have been numerous cases of violence against doctors in the past, but the guards do not take any action. Just last month, a patient’s relative slapped a junior doctor at the casualty in front of the guards, yet they took no action.”

The hospital administration refused to comment on the situation.

GTB Hospital

The situation at the violence-hit GTB Hospital remains unchanged, with the norms issued by the Delhi government yet to be implemented. Metal detector gates have not been installed at the emergency entrances, though guards are equipped with handheld metal detectors. The guards present at the facility’s gate were unarmed and appeared negligent, merely guiding people instead of conducting security checks. Furthermore, CCTV cameras have not been installed at the emergency gates.

“Metal detector gates at the emergency entrance have not yet been installed by the hospital authorities. The number of guards is still insufficient, compromising the safety of doctors,” confirmed Dr Nitesh Kumar, President of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at GTB Hospital.

He added, “The administration is not taking the doctors’ demands seriously. They claim to have sent letters to the concerned officials, but the process is taking time. Last week, a patient’s relative even pulled a gun on resident doctors. The security of doctors is a major concern.”

The hospital administration, however, stated that they are com mitted to ensuring the safety of doctors and that all security measures mandated by the city government are in the process of being implemented.

RML Hospital

Central government-run RML Hospital also lacks basic security arrangements at its emergency entrance, where only a single unarmed guard was present, and metal detectors and CCTV cameras were absent from the premises.

The hospital, which currently has about 1,532 beds spread over 30 acres, serves people from different regions of the country. According to a JRD, while the hospital administration is active in maintaining cleanliness and a conducive working environment for doctors, it falls short in terms of security.

“There are fewer guards deployed at the hospital than are actually needed, putting the lives of doctors at risk. The emergency entry and exit lack metal detectors, so patients’ relatives can bring any object onto the premises. No CCTV cameras are installed to identify the accused in case of any incident at the facility,” the doctor said.

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital

With a bed capacity of 575 and 47 specialties, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, one of the renowned hospitals in the national capital, also lacks sufficient security measures for doc tors’ safety. The emergency entrance and exit are not equipped with metal detector doors, CCTV cameras, or armed guards.

With only one guard present at the entrance, anyone can easily enter the premises with potentially harmful objects. It is important to note that this hospital is a private institution.

According to hospital administration sources, “Security measures are being put in place, and the hospital building has been revamped accordingly. Soon, all measures notified by the government will be implemented to ensure the safety of doctors.”

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Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital

Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, with 550 beds, is the largest Delhi government-run hospital in West Delhi. Despite its size, the hospital has not implemented any of the security measure directed by the health minister. The entry and exit points remain unattended by guards, and no metal detectors or CCTV cameras have been installed. The hospital administration declined to comment on the situation.

Hindu Rao Hospital

Hindu Rao Hospital, the largest hospital in the city under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) also lacks adequate safety infrastructure for healthcare professionals. The hospital only has an iron gate at the emergency and casualty facilities, with no guards present on the premises.

Additionally, there are no metal detectors, CCTV cameras, or other security measures in place, putting the lives of doctors at risk. When the Patriot contacted the MCD and hospital administration, they refused to comment on the matter. Notably, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was elected to the MCD in 2022.

Hindu Rao Hospital, with 127 beds, is the largest and most renowned hospital managed by the MCD.

Other hospitals

Other hospitals, including Govind Ballabh Pant, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital, similarly lack the security measures mandated by the govern ment. Among the central government-run hospitals, only AIIMS, the largest hospital in the country, meets all the basic security requirements necessary to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals working long shifts to save lives.