The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Feverish activity at diagnostic centres

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 10, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Feverish activity at diagnostic centres

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: With dengue, chikungunya and other vector-borne diseases dominating this season of infections, business is booming in private diagnostic centres.

Unwilling to take a chance, most doctors are prescribing blood tests to those complaining of fever. The subsequent rush at private diagnostic centres has created a great demand for pathologists.

While laboratories that have their own pathologists give the reports the same day, it is Hobson's choice for patients at others. “Our pathologist has left for the day. You can get the report only tomorrow,” is the stock reply.

While those who can afford it are beating a path to the private laboratories, the irony is that the health authorities refuse to accept reports from private laboratories.

V. Ravi, head of Neuro-Virology Department at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), said dengue can be established through a test taken five days after the start of fever. “Any results before five days cannot be considered as final,” he said.

Health officials claimed that the number of positive cases is swelling because private hospitals are announcing dengue deaths and positive cases without informing the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike about it. As many as 14 surveillance centres are being set up in the State to conduct blood tests and keep a tab on the epidemics.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka