Dalai Lama in city today, Sassoon hospital on standby

As the city is all set to welcome the Dalai Lama, Sassoon hospital is also geared up to provide him health-related security during his overnight stay here.u00a0The Tibetan spiritual leader is arriving today in the city along with his delegation to attend the 2nd Indian Student Parliament organised by MIT's School of Government (MITSOG).u00a0

According to orders issued by the protocol department of the state government, it is mandatory for the government hospital of the city to provide the best possible medical facilities whenever necessary to foreign dignitaries and other specified dignitaries.u00a0

The Dalai Lama also visited the city in October last year. The frequent visits of such dignitaries to the city puts a lot of strain on the resources of the government hospitals, which are already overburdened with patients, said the hospital authority.u00a0

Medical Superintendent of Sassoon General Hospital Dr D G Kulkarni said whenever VIPs like the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister or a foreign delegation visit the city, the staff of the hospital has to work round the clock. "Although we have never had to deliver these services till now, it is important that we always stay on a high alert," said Kulkarni.u00a0

He added that the hospital staff is always on its toes when such VIPs visit the city.u00a0"The hospital authority has to keep ready staff like physicians, surgeons and anaesthetist along with oxygen cylinders, the ECG machine, an ambulance and the blood group of that particular dignitary," said Kulkarni.u00a0

The 77-year-old Tibetan leader's blood group is 'O' positive, which is a commonly found blood group.u00a0"There is no difficulty for the arrangement of his blood group. Besides, we haven't been informed about any other illness that the Dalai Lama is suffering from," said Kulkarni.u00a0

The protocol department has issued orders to the city police for the arrangements for a pilot and escort car along with bulletproof vehicle and ordinary cars for The Dalai Lama's personal security.u00a0Institutional Relations of School of Government (MIT) officer Sachin Dugad said that taking into consideration the high risk to his life, they had arranged all the essential security at the venue.u00a0

"The spiritual leader is arriving in the college at 1 pm and will address the students on the subject 'Yes, India Can'," said Dugad.u00a0He added that along with police security the college was providing its private security to the leader. The traffic police said there would not be any route diversions ahead of the Dalai Lama's visit.

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