Petlawad's private labs under fire for alleged fake blood test results

Serious concerns have been raised about private pathology laboratories in Petlawad, a tribal region of Madhya Pradesh. Local sarpanch Pintu Singh Bhuria has accused several labs of providing inconsistent test results and failing to follow government rules. His complaints have now triggered an official investigation. The issue came to light after Bhuria highlighted a case at Patidar Diagnostic. A patient’s blood test results reportedly showed impossible changes within 24 hours. Haemoglobin levels jumped from 7.9 gm to 11.02 gm, while red blood cell and platelet counts also shifted dramatically. Bhuria argued that such rapid fluctuations were medically implausible and pointed to potential manipulation.

He took his concerns to multiple authorities, filing complaints with the Chief Medical Officer (CBMO), local police, and the tehsildar. His allegations extended beyond one lab, claiming that many private facilities in the area were exploiting poor patients by ignoring regulations. In response, Petlawad Civil Hospital’s Block Medical Officer (BMO), Dr ML Chopra, confirmed that only a handful of labs—Choyal Hospital, Ma Hospital, Suman Hospital, Agarwal Hospital, and Jain Pathology—held official approval. The Madhya Pradesh Health Department had already issued guidelines in September 2024, requiring all pathology labs to be overseen by qualified pathologists with postgraduate degrees or diplomas in the field. An inquiry team has now been formed to probe Bhuria’s claims. Authorities have also announced plans to inspect other laboratories in Petlawad to check for similar violations.

The investigation will determine whether private labs in Petlawad have been falsifying reports or operating without proper qualifications. If proven, the discrepancies could lead to stricter enforcement of health department rules. Further inspections are expected to follow across the region.