Petlawad pathology labs under fire for suspicious blood test discrepancies

Private pathology labs in Petlawad are facing scrutiny over alleged irregularities in test results and regulatory violations. Complaints have surfaced about drastic differences in blood reports, raising concerns about patient safety. Local authorities have now launched an investigation into the matter. The issue came to light after Amargarh Sarpanch Pintu Singh Bhuria flagged a case involving Patidar Diagnostic. Blood test results from the same patient showed haemoglobin levels jumping from 7.9 gm to 11.02 gm within 24 hours. RBC and platelet counts also displayed significant inconsistencies.

Bhuria questioned how such extreme changes could occur naturally in a short time. He described the discrepancies as medically implausible and called for an official probe. His complaints were lodged with the Chief Block Medical Officer (CBMO), local police, and the tehsildar. The problem extends beyond one lab. Bhuria alleged that many private laboratories in the tribal region operate without proper approvals. He accused them of exploiting poor patients by flouting government rules. In response, an inquiry team has been formed to examine Bhuria’s claims. The team will inspect multiple labs in the area to check for compliance. This follows a September 2024 directive from the Madhya Pradesh Health Department, which mandated that all pathology labs must be supervised by qualified pathologists. Only those with postgraduate degrees or diplomas in pathology after MBBS are permitted to run such facilities. Petlawad Civil Hospital’s Block Medical Officer (BMO), Dr ML Chopra, confirmed that only a handful of labs meet the criteria. These include Choyal Hospital, Ma Hospital, Suman Hospital, Agarwal Hospital, and Jain Pathology.

The investigation will determine whether private labs in Petlawad have violated testing standards or regulatory requirements. If proven, the discrepancies could lead to penalties or closures for non-compliant facilities. Authorities have yet to announce a timeline for the inquiry’s completion.