MAPPM threatens to go on hunger strike in Jan

The Maharashtra Association of Practising Pathologists and Microbiologists (MAPPM) are considering to go on a hunger strike in January 2019 if the government does not take an appropriate action against those people who are operating illegal pathology labs across the state.

This comes after the survey carried out in Nashik municipal district, it was revealed that from the 453 laboratories operating in the city, 318 laboratories were illegally operating. “There is around 70 to 80 per cent of pathology labs are illegal in the state. But unfortunately, the state government are not taking any action against them,” alleged the members.

According to the Maharashtra Association of Practising Pathologists and Microbiologists, in Mumbai, 70 per cent of pathology laboratory in the city are bogus. This is an important issue as a wrongly printed diagnostic report can have detrimental consequences for the patient as the doctors depend upon the accurate test results of these reports. If this happens, the doctor through no fault of his own, misdiagnosis and wrongfully treats the patient. In extreme cases, this can also lead to death of a patient. All of this can happen, just because of an error and malpractice on the part of the pathology lab.

Dr Sanjeev Yadav, President of Maharashtra Association of Practising Pathologists and Microbiologists, said there are very few seats for MD pathologist in Mumbai and Maharashtra for which the government is not doing enough to increase the number of these seats. Due to which the number of illegal pathologists is increasing.

“We had also made the government aware about bogus path labs, but it has been nine months since took any action. That is why we were urging the state government to issue a GR by December 27, 2018, otherwise we will go on a hunger strike in January,” added Dr Yadav.

Dr Prasad Kulkarni, executive committee member, President of Maharashtra Association of Practicing Pathologists and Microbiologists, “Recently the Supreme Court had ordered that those who have postgraduate degree in pathology can only sign the lab reports, but, in a number of path labs technicians are signing the diagnostic reports, This is why our demand is that strict action should take n on the bogus pathologists.”