NBMCH to get private agencies

TT, Siliguri, Feb. 22: The North Bengal Medical College and Hospital will hire private agencies to conduct diagnostic tests to reduce pressure at the central pathological laboratory that is facing shortage of technicians.

Hospital superintendent Nirmal Bera said the agencies were likely to be engaged within a month.

"The NBMCH has a central lab for all tests. The working hours are from 8am to 4.30pm (it is shut on Sundays). If a patient needs a test after 4.30pm, he has to wait till the next day. We thought about keeping the lab open round-the-clock but it seems impossible considering the staff crisis," he said.

"We have decided to hire at least two private agencies to conduct tests when the central lab is closed. The cost would be borne by the medical college and patients don't have to pay anything. The agencies would be selected on the basis of a tender and new the system will be implemented in a month."

The laboratory has 27 sanctioned posts but only 10 technicians work there.

A doctor said: "It is the sole referral hospital of north Bengal and although 599 beds are sanctioned, more than 1,200 patients are admitted here at a given time and more than 1,000 visit the OPD daily. There are only 10 lab technicians, two are permanent and the rest are contractual. More than 60 technicians are needed round-the-clock to conduct the tests."

The doctors said there was delay in getting test reports. "The lab gets 500-odd samples daily. But reports for even basic tests, like blood sugar, are given after two-three days. If private agencies conduct them, it would take 24 hours to get reports. They will work all days in the week," said a doctor.

Bera said: "They will be asked to conduct tests if equipment at the lab is out of order and technicians are absent."