Mumbai: In a response to the Right to Information (RTI) filed by the Dr Prasad Kulkarni in February 2019, it revealed the public health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is not aware about the number of pathology laboratories functioning in the city.
Responding to the RTI, official said, “The pathology laboratories functioning does not come under BMC due to which we have not maintained any data.”
Last year, the state government and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) had ordered the civic health department to compile and submit the detailed report on number of pathology laboratories and its registration numbers. “In February 2019, DMER had directed civic bodies in state to maintain the data and submit reports. But the official failed to follow the norms for compiling the data,” said Dr Kulkarni.
Dr Sandeep Yadav, president of Maharashtra Association of Practicing Pathologists and Microbiologists (MAPPM) alleged the officials are protecting illegal pathological labs by allowing technicians to sign test reports for blood, urine, tissue, body fluids and other histopathology findings.
“Around 70 to 80 per cent of pathology labs are illegal in the state and no action is taken by police or government officials till date. The officials have failed to take action against the nexus of illegal pathology laboratories in the city,” said Dr Yadav.
Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer, public health department said they will have to check on the letter by DMER as they are not the official authority to give registration permissions to pathological laboratories, nor do they maintain the data. “The norms related to illegal pathological laboratories will only be clear once the Maharashtra Clinical Establishment act, comes into existence,” said Dr Keskar.
