ACMO recommends lab technician’s suspension
Malaria testing has now become a business in malaria-endemic region like Jasra in trans-Yamuna area.
Taking advantage of poor facilities at the Jasra community health centre, many malaria testing centres have come up which are collecting and testing slides at the rates ranging from Rs 20 to 50.
What is more shocking is that one such private centre is being run by a lab technician posted in the district health department. The lab technician has also appointed an unqualified staff for collecting the slides at the centre.
Not only this, the unregistered practitioners are prescribing costly and unnecessary medicines to the patients, which are causing adverse reaction and sometimes prove fatal.
All these irregularities came to light during the surprise inspection by the additional chief medical officer (Vector Borne Disease) Dr RB Singh, on Saturday.
Dr Singh found that the lab technician Basante is running a malaria testing centre near the Jasra CHC and has also appointed an unqualified staff RK Choudhary for collecting the slides. "Choudhary, who was hired by Basante, was not holding any professional degree required in this field. He admitted that he was running the centre on the basis of experience," said Dr RB Singh.
Dr Singh said similarly one more lab 'Vikas' was running just opposite the Jasra CHC gate. "However, the owner ran away from the scene, the moment we arrived there.
{{/usCountry}}Dr Singh said similarly one more lab 'Vikas' was running just opposite the Jasra CHC gate. "However, the owner ran away from the scene, the moment we arrived there.
{{/usCountry}}It was also found that many unregistered practitioners have prescribed at least five unnecessary medicines including injection like Indomol to simple malaria cases. A single Indomol injection costs around Rs 200 and creates adverse reactions if prescribed without any specific reason," he added.
Dr Singh said recommendations were made to the CMO to suspend the lab technician Basante who was also found not attending the CHC regularly, due to which the patients became forced to turn to private labs for malaria testing.
"However the situation is strictly under control in malaria-affected villages," he added.