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Overburdened labs at Ludhiana civil hospital: Delays steer patients to private labs for dengue tests
Overburdened testing laboratories at the civil hospital have left residents to deal with long waiting-time for dengue test reports — with test reports being received after delays extending up to more than 24 hours
Overburdened testing laboratories at the civil hospital have left residents to deal with long waiting-time for dengue test reports — with test reports being received after delays extending up to more than 24 hours. Patients at the dengue ward, in some cases, have also been forced to move to private labs to get timely results.
According to the health department, the district has more than 950 cumulative dengue cases, while the suspected dengue cases count stands at around 3,200. There were a total of six patients admitted at the dengue ward on Saturday.
Sources at the civil hospital said conducting the NS1/IgG/IgM ELISA test for detection of the virus takes around four-five hours and 90 samples are required to conduct the test in one go — adding that the samples collected before 10 am are tested the same day, but the ones collected after 10 am are tested the next morning.
Tanya, a patient admitted to the dengue ward at the civil hospital, said, “I have been admitted to the hospital for a week. The lab technicians took the sample five times and got them misplaced. Now, I have given my blood sample in the private lab and paid ₹500.”
Similarly, Paramjit Kaur, a patient’s family member, said, “The hospital staff in the lab said it will take up to two-three days for the test report to come, so we gave the sample to a private lab.”
The delay in test reports has in turn resulted in delays in patients receiving proper treatment. Notably, mild symptoms are being reported in most cases of dengue fever, but the more serious cases require immediate medical attention.
Shivram, a relative of another dengue patient admitted at the hospital, said, “My wife was admitted to the hospital on November 21. Due to the delay in blood sample reports, her treatment was also getting late. Finally, we have given the blood samples at the private lab to get the report.”
As many as 80 to 90% of patients with dengue have a platelet-count below 1,00,000 while 10-20% report critically low levels of 20,000 or less. To check the platelet count, a complete blood count (CBC) test is conducted. Delay in the test reports can leave patients in critical condition.
The same often leaves people falling in the suspected dengue patients category hassled.
Speaking of the latest developments, senior medical officer, civil hospital, Dr Amarjit Kaur said, “Our labs are overburdened due to ongoing medical examinations of ETT teachers and Class-4 employees of the municipal corporation.”
A private lab outside the hospital, meanwhile, said, “We deliver the test report the same day. We charge ₹550 for the dengue ELISA test. It takes four to five hours to conduct the test.”
The charges for a test at the civil hospital is ₹70.
