Covid-19: Samples of elderly Naga allegedly misplaced by GMCH

Our Reporter
Dimapur, May 15 (EMN):

In a shocking incident and what may be deemed a complete lapse from the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Assam, samples of an elderly Naga man that were meant to go for Covid-19 testing were allegedly misplaced by the laboratory at the hospital.

The son-in-law of the patient informed Eastern Mirror that they had taken the 66-year-old patient from Dimapur to Guwahati on May 13 because of stones in the liver bile duct.

“This is a recurring problem he has, and (he) was referred by his doctor to Downtown Hospital in Guwahati,” said the son-in-law. He informed that the pass or clearance for inter-state travel was issued by the chief medical office here in Dimapur.

Upon reaching Downtown Hospital in Guwahati, the family of the patient showed the hospital the clearance but was asked to go to GMCH to get further clearance.

It was informed that the patient had fever as he had jaundice due to the liver problem.

“The GMCH took the samples of my father-in-law on the evening of May 13 and we were told the results will be out in 6-8 hours,” the son-in-law said, adding that his father-in-law was taken straight to isolation.

The family questioned the superintendent at the hospital on May 14 and was further directed to ask the lab at the GMCH for the results.

 “The lab asked details of the patient but after looking through their records, it was informed that the samples were misplaced,” said the son-in-law.

With his condition being critical and in isolation during the past two days, it is said that a second test would be done.

Further, it was also informed that a patient from Manipur faced a similar situation when he was referred to GMCH by Downtown Hospital. However, he had to wait in isolation for six days for the test results, which proved negative on May 15, Friday, sources informed.