Tiruppur Govt hospital lab allegedly reuses urine sample collectors, inquiry ordered

As per a recent media report in The New Indian Express, the alleged reuse of the 'urine sample containers' for tests has ringed the alarm bells as it poses a serious risk of infection spread.

An attendant of a patient, Durairaj told TNIE, "My relative Shankaran was admitted in the Tiruppur GH for kidney and urinary tract ailment a few days ago. A urine sample was requested from him. A relative and I collected the sample in a container and submitted it at the lab. The technician after collecting the sample asked the container to be cleaned and returned."

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Dhanraj was reportedly at a loss for words, who further asked the lab authorities why there was a need to return the container. When he told them that the containers should be thrown away due to a risk of infection, the lab technician allegedly responded in negative, adding that the containers are reused after every collection.

He added, "I was shocked and the unhygienic practice could cause a serious spread of infection. I immediately spoke to the officials, but they didn't assure of action"

Meanwhile, Tiruppur Government Hospital Medical Superintendent K Gopalakrishnan told TNIE that they have taken note of the reusage of the urine sample containers and would conduct an inquiry.

Talking about the dangers of such practices, a social activist Sundarapandian told the daily, "Urine sample collection is a part of medical practice for clinical diagnosis. The clinical information obtained from a urine specimen is influenced by the collection method, timing and handling. But, unsafe containers could jeopardise the information and cause infection".

Further adding that the throwable urine sample containers were priced at a small rate, he said, "There are hundreds of social organisations in Tiruppur. Had they informed us, we could have donated the containers. "

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