‘Not sharing result is violation of rights’

‘Not sharing result is violation of rights’

Sunitha.Rao@timesgroup.com  29.06.2020

Bengaluru: Doctors and health activists are up in arms over the government’s directive to labs, banning them from sharing results on Covid-19 swab samples with patients. Activists say it’s an infringement of a patient’s basic right.

The government has warned all 75 labs not to inform patients about their test results, insisting it should be routed through the district administration concerned. A similar rule is in force in Maharashtra.

“Who is more interested in the result than the patient?” said Dr Ramana Rao, Bengaluru-based cardiologist. “The government’s move is unwarranted. The patient and relatives should be informed first so that they can take precautions and contain the spread. If it is negative, let them feel relieved.” He said resident welfare associations and police should also be informed.

Health department officials and BBMP said the order was sent out as patients themselves were knocking on hospital doors without the test report, seeking admission. They say they were informed by the labs of a positive result.

“There is a need to counsel patients and explain the admission procedure. It if not, it only spreads panic,” a BBMP official said. However, citizens and doctors are unconvinced. “If patients know they are infected, at least they will act responsibly. What good does it do by not disclosing results to a patient?” a doctor asked. Another doctor labelled the move “utter nonsense”. “I feel the government is fudging numbers for some gain,” the doctor asked.

Jayanagar MLA Soumya Reddy said the government must rethink the notification. “It’s not the patient’s fault that the government’s health system does not have adequate facilities,” she said. She said many patients call her seeking her intervention in getting hospital beds when BBMP delays picking them up.

Srinivasa Alavilli, cofounder, Citizens for Bengaluru, said no one has the right to deny critical personal information to an individual, even more so when it is a question of life and death. “The notification is surprising and shocking. The state and BBMP have done a stellar job managing the crisis so far and we trust them to do the right thing as we go into critical phase of transmission in our city,” he said.

The government has warned all 75 labs not to inform patients about their test results, insisting it should be routed through the district administration concerned.