Sambalpur: Unregistered Pathology Labs Operating in Burla; Unqualified Staff Conducting Tests, Poor Patients Fall Victim to Exploitation

Illegal Labs Operating Without Approval

Sambalpur: In Burla, several private pathology clinics have opened and are operating without proper permissions from the Health Department. Although many of these clinics lack valid documents, they continue to function freely. As a result, poor patients often become victims of exploitation at these unauthorized labs.

Untrained Staff Conducting Medical Tests

Moreover, many of these clinics have hired unqualified and untrained workers to conduct medical tests. These employees, without necessary certifications, carry out critical medical examinations. Consequently, doubts are being raised about the accuracy of the test reports provided by such clinics.

Rise of Private Labs Around Vimsar

With Vimsar hospital at the center, private labs have mushroomed all around Burla city. Every day, thousands of patients visiting Vimsar fall into the trap laid by these private clinic owners. Unfortunately, the Health Department does not have a complete record of how many such clinics exist in the city. Alarmingly, many of these labs operate without official registration.

Previous Crackdown Forgotten

Back in 2019, the Health Department launched a major crackdown on illegal clinics. During that operation, they sealed several clinics because the owners failed to produce valid documents. Some owners, fearing raids, even shut down their clinics and fled. However, six years have passed since then, and now even more unauthorized pathology labs have popped up across Burla.

From Small Sheds to Exploitative Centers

Initially, these clinics start from small tin sheds or tiny rooms. Later, they employ uncertified doctors to attract poor patients, especially from rural areas. Tragically, these patients are exploited without even realizing it.

Middlemen Luring Innocent Patients

Adding to the problem, brokers roam around medical areas, targeting innocent, poor, and rural patients. They lure them into these unauthorized clinics by offering false promises and incentives. As a result, serious concerns arise about the patients’ actual health outcomes after receiving treatments based on questionable test reports.

Public Demand for Immediate Action

Therefore, people are now demanding that the District Health Department monitor this growing issue. Citizens urge authorities to conduct surprise raids on illegal clinics and take strict action against those responsible for running them unlawfully.