25 out of 30 have no licence

Because of wrong diagnosis by the centres, the patients are getting wrong treatment. At times it leads to their death but the authorities are indifferent to sufferings of the victims.

According to sources in the Civil Surgeon (CS) office, 25 out of 30 pathological laboratories operating in the district have no license. They are ill-equipped and depriving the government of revenue. Fourteen of the 30 centers are situated in Sadar upazila.

Only five centers operating with license are Fuad Al Khatib Hospital, Sea Shaikat Hospital, Severon, Jum Jum Hospital and Modern Diagnostic Centre, official sources said.

Owners of the illegal pathological centres are doing business allegedly in connivance with a section of dishonest health officials and doctors working at government hospitals, sources on condition of anonymity said.

Patients are often lured away from government hospitals promising better treatment, allegedly with the help of dishonest health officials and their agents.

Most of the people working as 'technicians' at the illegal pathological centres have no training and requisite qualification. In most of the diagnostic centres, health assistants perform tests and diagnose diseases. Sometimes their wrong diagnosis threaten lives of patients prove to be incorrect, sources said.

As per law, a pathologist must have a diploma from a recognised institution and must have to undergo three years' training before working as a technician in a pathological laboratory, CS office sources said.

On contact, the CS said a three-member team headed by a medical officer has been formed to look into the allegations.

'We have, meantime, served notices on the owners of the diagnostic centres to apply for licence,' he said.