[Staff Reporter]
ITANAGAR, May 28: The district medical officer (DMO), Yupia has issued show-cause notices to four laboratory assistants for refusing to collect swab samples from the asymptomatic Covid-19 positive person.
They have 24 hours to explain why they refused to collect the samples.
Similar show-cause notices were also reportedly issued against two lab technicians from the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, who refused to collect swab samples from the Covid-19 positive person currently under care.
Taking cognizance of the discouraging attitude of the lab technicians, the DMO said that refusing to heed to the nodal officer’s instruction to collect swap samples is against the Arunachal Pradesh Epidemic Disease Prevention Regulation 2020, the Disaster Management Act 2005, the Epidemic Disease Act 1987 and other legal provisions.
The nodal officer of the PTC quarantine facility in his report said that lab technicians who attended hands-on training on Wednesday on swab collection techniques had refused to collect swab samples from the Covid-19 patient, claiming that they would be sent to seven days quarantine.
The nodal officer further stated that despite his direction to perform their assigned work while using PPE, the technicians refused to do so.
Later, the PTC quarantine facility coordinator had to chip in and collect swab samples from the Covid-19 positive person.
