Objections to body cameras for nurses and ward staff in Punjab hospitals: “Who will guarantee this data won’t be leaked?”

Punjab’s plan to introduce body cameras for nurses and ward staff in public hospitals has sparked privacy concerns, raising questions about patient dignity, data security, and cultural sensitivities in Muslim societies.

WEBDESK – BBC Urdu – January 14, 2026

The Punjab government has decided to introduce body cameras for paramedical staff working in public hospitals across the province, a move that has sparked serious concerns about patient privacy and data security.

According to initial information, the plan will cover nurses, ward attendants, pharmacy staff and security personnel. It has also been agreed that doctors and nurses will be barred from using mobile phones during duty hours.

The government says the decision is driven by public complaints related to administrative issues, corruption and security concerns. In recent years, several incidents have surfaced involving disputes between patients or their families and hospital staff, including doctors.

For example, an inquiry was recently launched after a heated argument between a young doctor and a patient’s relatives at Nishtar Hospital in Multan.

However, the new measures have raised questions about how the privacy and concerns of both patients and doctors will be addressed.

Where else are body cameras used in hospitals?

Globally, only a handful of countries use body cameras for hospital staff or medical professionals during duty. Countries such as India, the UK, Australia and the United States have experimented with body cameras on a trial basis.

In India, body cameras have been introduced for selected hospital staff as pilot projects. In contrast, Pakistan has decided to implement the cameras without conducting formal trials.

In most countries where body cameras are used in hospitals, the stated objectives include improved security, evidence collection for legal cases, staff training through recorded footage, transparency and accountability. Their use is often limited to emergency departments and psychiatric wards.

Why did Punjab decide to introduce body cameras?

Doctors and paramedical staff have expressed strong concern over the decision, with many arguing that the government should reconsider and explore alternatives to cameras.

Punjab’s Secretary for Specialised Healthcare, Azmat Mahmood, told the BBC that in many public hospitals, staff refer patients to private hospitals or demand money to speed up treatment. “Keeping this core issue in mind, we decided to use body cameras for guards, pharmacy staff, nurses, ward attendants and sanitation workers,” he said.

Responding to concerns about patient privacy during treatment, Mahmood said nurses would be the last group to be fitted with cameras. “We will find a solution to the privacy issue. We will learn from the experience of other staff and make improvements,” he added.

He also noted that most of the staff selected for body cameras are managed by third-party contractors, who will bear the cost and responsibility for installing the devices. However, he did not clarify who would control the recorded footage or address concerns about banning mobile phone use during duty hours.

“No stakeholder consultation was done”

Dr Haseeb, General Secretary of the Young Doctors Association Punjab, said there is no global precedent for requiring all nursing staff to wear body cameras. “The government did not consult any stakeholders before taking this decision to assess its possible consequences,” he said.

He added that there are more effective ways to improve hospital management. “Body cameras will not only compromise patient privacy, but will also make doctors and nurses overly cautious and confused while working, especially junior doctors,” he warned.

Dr Haseeb argued that there are many alternative methods to monitor hospital staff. “Imagine a ward attendant or nurse wearing a camera while moving through wards. Patients often arrive in vulnerable conditions and require immediate exposure for treatment. Who will watch that footage? Where will it be stored? Who will ensure it is not misused?” he asked.

He said cameras could be considered for security guards or pharmacy staff, but the root causes of conflict include overcrowded hospitals, staff shortages and lack of resources. “Improving administration would be far more effective,” he said, adding that limiting patient attendants to one per patient could also help.

According to him, the decision violates fundamental rights and medical ethics. “We are bound by oath not to share a patient’s condition, images or data without consent. The government appears to want to record the entire treatment process, which is wrong,” he said.

“How would the person being recorded feel?”

Khalida, a nurse who has worked for years at a public hospital in Lahore, said she has worked in labour rooms, inserted catheters, conducted chest X-rays and cleaned wounds on sensitive parts of the body.

“Now imagine doing all this with a camera on my body, recording everything. How would that feel?” she asked.

She added that nurses are already monitored daily, with teams submitting regular performance reports. “When incidents of child theft occurred in paediatric wards, we ourselves asked hospital management to deploy security guards,” she said.

“As a woman, I would feel extremely uncomfortable wearing a camera on my body. Just imagine how disturbing it would be for the person being recorded,” she added.

“If a video leaks, it will be a huge problem”

Mohammad Waleed, owner of a private hospital in Lahore, described the issue as extremely sensitive. “If such a policy is implemented in private hospitals, it will create serious problems. Patients already object to CCTV cameras inside hospitals because of privacy concerns,” he said.

“Millions of patients visit public hospitals. Where will all that footage go? Who will guarantee the data will not be leaked? Even Safe City camera footage has been leaked in the past,” he added.

He also pointed out that commission-based referrals from public to private hospitals and labs are part of a wider system. “This cannot be stopped with cameras alone. The government needs an effective structural solution,” he said.

In his view, body cameras would be little more than a temporary show. “Given how the government and private sector work together, it is extremely difficult to eliminate this kind of corruption. Cameras may only serve as a short-term spectacle,” he concluded.