Pricks! All of them

Pathology labs fleecing ignorant people over Chikunguniya, Dengue scare

Mosquitoes are worshipped here. In fact, they prick them like the buzzing creatures and make a killing too.
With vector-borne diseases like Dengue, Chikunguniya and Malaria reporting a steep rise, pathology labs in Delhi are making a quick buck.



As per data released by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), 33 cases of Chikunguniya have been reported till date with 19 fresh cases whereas there were zero cases last year. And the number could be higher, as there are no designated centres for the treatment 0f the disease and therefore, the data collection is an issue.At least 20 people are coming for taking diagnostic tests at pathology labs across the city. However, only a few of them are testing positive for Chikunguniya.

"We are getting around 10-15 people each day. Out of them, two or three come out positive," said Dr Bhasin, of P Bhasin Path Labs at Greater Kailash. The most common test done on such people is to measure the number of antibodies, immunoglobulins, in blood.

The test, called IgM, is being done for a price ranging between Rs 430-1,000. Religare, Green Park, one of the high-profile labs are getting 15 people in a day since the last two weeks, but only two of them have tested positive. They are charging Rs 800 for IgM test. Dr Lal Path Labs takes Rs 730 and the test is being done at West Patel Nagar's Super Diagnostic Clinic for Rs 430.

Few labs such as City Path Labs at Safdarjung Enclave are charging Rs 1,000 and are getting 15 people per day for the test.According to the health department, the main reason for the variation in charges for the test is lack of any guidelines for Chikunguniya.

"People go in for a test as soon as they run fever without consulting with a doctor and the pathology labs take advantage of this," said a senior doctor.