Activist seeks action 25 illegal path labs in Pilibhit

Times of India: Pilibhit: Monday, August 14, 2017.

Following the death of at least 30 infants at Gorakhpur's state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College, human rights activist Kaleem Athar Khan here has sounded the alarm against unregistered and unauthorized pathology labs in district. He has sought action against them from the principal secretary, health, Prashant Trivedi. He warned that any error in the test reports by these illegal labs could be fatal as they do not have trained staff.

In this context, Khan said he had learned through an RTI query from the chief medical officer, Dr OP Singh, that only four pathology labs have been issued registrations in the entire district while more than 25 unauthorized and unregistered labs were operating.

A copy of the information collected through the RTI has been sent to Trivedi, said Khan. Speaking with TOI, the activist said as many as seven pathology labs were being run in Pilibhit city, three in Puranpur, seven in Bisalpur, five in Amaria tehsil headquarters, two in Neuria town and one each in Jahanabad and Majhola towns. There were many others but evidence of these could not be collected. Only four labs were found to be registered fulfilling the norms. the CMO had informed.

Khan alleged in his complaint that the head and the technical staff members functioning in these unauthorized pathology labs were not qualified as per the guidelines of the Medical Council of India (MCI). These labs, he alleged, were also charging inflated fees for tests and did not issue any receipt thereof.

According to Dr Neelam Agarwal, a qualified pathology doctor who is operating a reputed lab in Pilibhit city, the head of such a laboratory must be an MD either in pathology, biochemistry or micro biology. In accordance with the amended structure of qualifications devised by the MCI, the pathology head could also be a holder of diploma in clinical pathology.

Agarwal added it was mandatory for a technician to hold a diploma in medical laboratory technology (DMLT) while it was mandatory for all pathology doctors to be registered with MCI for operating a pathology lab.

On being asked about this, CMO, Dr OP Singh denied having any information about the operation of unauthorized pathology labs in the district. However, a three-member committee set up at each tehsil headquarters comprising sub divisional magistrate, CO and the in-charge medical officer of each community health centre would probe the labs in their respective tehsils.