Mumbai: In the aftermath of a video that went viral showing a woman being asked to take off her burqa by a security guard to access hospital services, Cooper Hospital dean stated that a sensitisation workshop had been held with the staff.The incident had sparked online concerns over religious discrimination. Samajwadi Party politician Rais Shaikh posted on social media platform X: “The incident shown at BMC-run Cooper Hospital is deeply concerning… No woman should face discrimination because of her attire or religion.”Cooper Hospital Dean Dr Chaya Shinde said that the hospital treats all patients and their relatives with respect and that there was severe miscommunication. “The incident should not have happened. We have served a show-cause notice to the female security personnel who was on duty at the time.”She added that the hospital held a round of sensitisation workshops for both doctors and security staff. “We keep holding these workshops, but many of the security personnel change in a short timeframe. We need fixed security, which would also help solve other issues,” Dr Shinde said.There are 76 security personnel posted at the facility, of whom 12 are fixed, while the requirement is 176. “Maharashtra Security Force personnel were supposed to be deployed here, but that process is still ongoing,” Dr Shinde said.
