24-hr lab testing need of the hour in AIIMS

NEW DELHI: The inability of the Emergency Ward of the country’s premiere hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), to conduct round-the-clock lab tests has made life difficult not only for patients but even doctors.

Moreover, the Resident Doctors’ Association of AIIMS has claimed that the Emergency lab reports are not reliable enough to guide them for the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

RDA president Dr Vijay Gurjar said: “AIIMS, despite being the apex institute, is not able to provide 24-hours routine laboratory testing facilities for the welfare of the patients.”

“Due to absence of 24-hour lab testing facility, doctors either have to wait for the report to arrive the next day, or recommend tests from outside the hospital. Both these options can mean an increase in mortality rate at the Emergency Ward,” he added.

Further expressing concern over the non-availability of rou- tine laboratory tests, Dr Gurjar told Millennium Post that there is no availability of blood test facility in the hospital after 11 am. He said that if a patient is admitted at noon, his blood samples are sent outside the hospital, which makes treatment difficult in emergency cases, where reports are required within minutes to make lifesaving decisions.

Dr Amit Gupta, spokesperson, AIIMS said: “We have initiated the proceeding to sort out the matter and soon will have some outcome over these issues.”

In a letter to Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, Dr Gurjar sought the provision of roundthe-clock lab testing facilities in the Emergency Ward.

“As the machines are very old, we seek automated machines to be installed in lab to get best results. We, as doctors of the apex medical institute, must think about patients as most of them are from the weaker sections of society and can hardly afford the lab tests from outside, even if needed urgently,” urged Dr Gurjar.

Resident Doctors’ Association president Dr Vijay Gurjar has written to the Director of AIIMS seeking provision of round-the-clock lab testing facilities in the Emergency Ward