The laboratory. Picture by Nantu Dey

Raiganj, Dec. 12: A pathological laboratory here has issued a blood test report signed by a doctor who died at the district hospital the same day the sample was collected, the family members of a patient have complained.

The chief medical officer of health of North Dinajpur has ordered an inquiry after Shankar Kumar Roy lodged a complaint with him against North Bengal Pathological Laboratory, a licensed unit, located in Ukilpara. The blood report was that of Shankar’s father, Shakkhi Gopal Roy.

Dr Sushil Biswas had been treating 69-year-old Roy for fever since November 13 and had asked for a blood test to be done. He had also signed the death certificate of pathologist Tara Ranjan Sikdar and so he was shocked when he saw the blood report with the signature of the dead man.

“I had taken my father for the test to the laboratory on the afternoon of November 14. I collected the report around 6pm the same day. I took it to Dr Biswas. Sikdar, who had signed the report as the pathologist, had expired at the district hospital the same day, at least six hours before the sample was collected by the laboratory,” Shankar said.

Not satisfied with the test results, especially because of the glitch, Dr Biswas had asked Shankar to get the tests done elsewhere. “While the first report said my father was infected with the malignant malaria parasite, two other laboratories found no trace of the disease.”

Shankar said he was lucky that the doctor treating his father knew of the pathologist’s death. “Or else my father would have been treated for an infection he never had.

Biswas said he had been shocked at the callousness of the laboratory. “The moment I spotted Sikdar’s signature on the report, I was surprised. I knew that the 74-year-old pathologist had been admitted to the hospital on November 13 for he was under my treatment. He died the next day around 6am and I had issued the death certificate,” Biswas said.

Bappa Sikdar said his uncle, the pathologist, had been suffering from geriatric problems and was bedridden for over a month before he passed away on November 14.

The secretary of the Raiganj branch of the Indian Medical Association, Uttam Pal, said he was not aware that the pathologist had died. “I have treated many patients who brought reports from that lab signed by Sikdar. Now I will have to call them up and ask them to get the tests again,” Pal said.

The owner of the laboratory, Bimal Kumar Das, said he would only answer questions put to him by the health department. “I am not answerable to you,” he told The Telegraph. Sikdar was working on contract with the laboratory.

Sources in the health department said many of the private laboratories did not have qualified pathologists.

Sudhanshu Sekhar Shaoo, the chief medical officer, said he had received the complaint. “There are 53 private laboratories in the district, 23 of them in Raiganj. This laboratory, too, is registered. I have ordered a probe and if we find anything amiss, we will cancel the licence.”