Punjab health dept asks PGIMER to audit Covid-19 tests being carried out by private hospital in Jalandhar

Jalandhar: Suspecting discrepancy in the testing of Covid-19 samples by a private hospital in Jalandhar, the Punjab health department on Tuesday the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) to conduct an audit of the RT-PCR tests being carried out.

The state health department surveyed private labs in Jalandhar and found that the positive case ratio at the local Patel Hospital was much higher.

Special secretary, health, Isha Kalia wrote to PGIMER director Dr Jagat Ram that Patel Hospital in Jalandhar reported 26.34% positivity rate of the 205 samples put through RT-PCR (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests for Covid-19. This is high compared to other government and private labs.

“It is requested that PGI may conduct an audit of the lab,” Kalia said.

She requested 10 random positive samples and five random negative samples to be sent by the Jalandhar administration.

HOSPITAL FACING INQUIRY OVER CHARGES

During its survey, the health department found that Onrequest lab reported 24 positive cases out of 443 samples (5.42%); SRL lab 14 positive cases out of 612 samples (2.29%); Lal Path Lab 30 cases out of 433 samples (6.93%); Metropolis Health four cases out of 48 samples (8.33%); Pathkind seven cases out of 72 samples (9.72%); and Patel Hospital 54 positive cases out of 205 samples (26.34%).

When contacted, Patel Hospital authorities declined comment.

On July 23, deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori had marked an inquiry against Patel Hospital in Civil Lines for charging Rs 5,500 for a Covid-19 test from a patient on July 21, even as the government had fixed the maximum cost for the test, including GST/taxes, at Rs 2,400. The state government orders were issued on July 8. An inquiry into the matter is underway.