Clinical Laboratory for Primary and Secondary Care Hospitals
Government of West Bengal
Directorate of Health Services
Public Health Branch
No. HPH/9M-30/2014/936 Dated: 06.03.2014
Memorandum
At present different kinds of clinical laboratory services are being rendered by different laboratories like general pathology laboratory, designated Microscopy centre, ICTC, BSU, Blood bank etc of secondary and primary care hospitals run by the state government. These laboratories are manned by either regular Medical Technologist engaged by the department or by contractual Laboratory technicians engaged by different Health & Family Welfare Samiti, RKS or WBSAPCS. It has been observed that there is unequal distribution of workload amongst those Medical Technologist/ Laboratory technicians.
2. After due consideration of the recommendation of the Multi-disciplinary Expert Group, it has been decided that there will be one single central clinical laboratory at those secondary and primary care hospitals for more patient friendly approach. For proper utilization of manpower pools of all kinds of regular or contractual Medical Technologist/ Laboratory technicians engaged in that hospitals in different capacity at different work stations like main pathology lab, ICTC (integrated council and testing centre), or DMC (designated microscopy centre), Blood Storage Unit (BSU), Blood Bank etc. will henceforth discharge their duties under a single administrative control of the superintendent/BMOH/MO-IC PHC and functional control of the senior most pathologist/ microbiologist/ biochemist where available.
3. In partial modification of their current job description, those Medical Technologist/ Laboratory technicians shall perform all kinds of laboratory tests as per standard essential laboratory service package norm. If necessary, the CMOH may organize a short in-service reorientation capacity building programme at suitable district/ sub-divisional hospitals using local fund. Respective Supdtt/BMOH will assign duties to the Medical Technologist/ Laboratory technicians to ensure that the total workload is being distributed evenly. While assigning duties, the Supdtt/BMOH/MO-IC PHC should consider the priority tasks of performing different laboratory tests as envisaged in guidelines of different National/State Health programmes like RNTCP, RCH, NVBDCP, IDSP, NACP etc. in consultation with the district level programme officers.
4. This order will take immediate effect.
Sd/- B. Satpathy
Director of Health Services
West Bengal