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Patient Attendants Carry Bio-Samples Amid Safety Fears
12 Oct
Summary
- Patient attendants are reportedly carrying biological samples at SMS Hospital.
- This practice raises concerns about diagnostic accuracy and infection control.
- Hospital administration acknowledges the issue when staff is unavailable.
SMS Hospital in Jaipur is facing safety concerns due to alleged violations of national norms for collecting and transporting clinical samples. Reports indicate that patient attendants are routinely tasked with carrying biological specimens from hospital wards to laboratories, a responsibility that should be handled by trained hospital staff. This practice has raised significant questions about diagnostic accuracy, patient safety, and infection control risks within the busy hospital, where thousands of samples are processed daily.
During an observation on Sunday, patient attendants were seen holding vials of blood, urine, and other bodily fluids while navigating crowded hospital corridors between various departments. This situation, often involving exhausted attendants carrying sealed samples, underscores a potential breach of biosafety protocols. While hospital administration acknowledged that attendants are sometimes asked to transport samples due to staff shortages, this practice contradicts guidelines set by the Centre and the WHO, which emphasize trained personnel and specific handling procedures for biological specimens.
