Chilas (from Hussain Ahmed)
The unique achievements of private and government medical laboratories in Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan began to come to light. The same patient had surprisingly different results from the same test. According to sources, a newborn patient admitted to the Regional Headquarters Hospital Chilas was tested in three different laboratories, including two private laboratories and a government laboratory at the Regional Headquarters Hospital Chilas.
The patient was tested for Total Bilirubin, Direct Bilirubin and Indirect Bilirubin, the results of which were different and surprising from the three laboratories. One private laboratory (Fazal Medical Laboratory) released the results and declared the result of Total Bilirubin as 13.1 mg / dl while another private laboratory (Gilgit Baltistan Medical Laboratory) declared the same result as 23.8 mg / dl. When the same Total Bilirubin was tested in the government laboratory of the Regional Headquarters Hospital Chilas, the result of the government laboratory was completely different and surprising.
The government laboratory set a new record by setting the total bilirubin level at 2.1 mg / dl. The report remained close to 12 mg / dl after re-testing by the government laboratory on identification. In addition, one laboratory in private laboratories declared the result of Direct Bilirubin to be 4.0 mg / dl while the other private laboratory declared the same result to be 4.2 mg / dl. The results of the patient’s indirect bilirubin were also radically different. One private laboratory rated Indirect Bilirubin at 19.8 mg / dl while another private laboratory rated it at 7.9 mg / dl. While the results of public and private laboratories are questionable, the staff of the government laboratory at the Regional Headquarters Hospital Chilas do not spare any effort to harass the public.
Test sampling is stopped at 11 a.m. instead of the official time limit. The results of the samples that reach the laboratory are not given to the patients before 12 o’clock, which adds to the difficulties for the poor people who come from far and wide. According to sources, doctors of Regional Headquarters Hospital Chilas usually disappear after 12 noon in the name of T-break, so patients have to go to private clinics.
