Why was Reeda's swab not sent to govt body for testing?

Family fumes as Jehangir Hospital sent it to Ruby Hall Clinic, which does not have authority to conduct the test

Family fumes as Jehangir Hospital sent it to Ruby Hall Clinic, which does not have authority to conduct the test

To say that the Shaikh family is fuming would be a gross understatement. A day after Reeda Shaikh (14) became India's first swine flu victim, her family wants answers. "Why did Jehangir Hospital send Reeda's nasal and throat swabs for H1N1 testing to Ruby Hall Clinic when it did not have the authority to conduct those tests?" asked Asif Lampwala, the counsel for Reeda's father, Sajid.



The government has given only the National Institute of Virology authority to conduct the test.

'We will sue'
Lampwala said the Shaikhs will sue Jehangir Hospital for negligence. "We will teach them a lesson," he added.

Initially, the doctors at Jehangir Hospital diagnosed Reeda with pneumonia and later with Acute Respiratory Disorder Function. And, on July 27, when the swab was sent to Ruby Hall Clinic for H1N1 testing, the report was negative and what's worse, it came back within an hour. "Generally the report requires one full day," said Lampwala.

It was only when the swab was sent to NIV for testing on July 30 that it came back positive for swine flu the next day.

Hospitals say...
Dr Prasad Muglikar, medical superintendent of Jehangir Hospital, however, refuted all charges and said they had taken all the necessary care under the guidance of state and national health authorities.

Urgent
Parvez Grant, director of Ruby Hall Clinic, added that they too weren't negligent. "We were told that the swab report was required immediately and that's why it was ready in one hour. He also refused to show the papers regarding the test.

Pune district collector Chandrakant Dalvi came to Jehangir Hospital's rescue by stating that Reeda's case wasn't handled wrongly.

PMC Additional Commissioner M S Devnikar said, "We have asked Jehangir Hospital for an explanation. We can only request private hospitals not to treat H1N1 patients and ask them to send them to Dr Naidu, Aundh Civil Hospital or YMCA Hospital run by the PMC."