Unauthorised pathological laboratories and disgnostic centres that mushroomed in Rangamati hill town are doing brisk business in the last few years at the cost of patients.

Due to wrong diagnosis by the centres, patients are getting wrong treatment, at times leading to death but the authorities are unconcerned.

According to sources at the Civil Surgeon's office, 22 out of 27 pathological laboratories operating in Rangamati district have no licence. They are ill-equipped and operating illegally, also depriving the government of revenue. Fourteen of the 27 centres are in Sadar upazila.

The five centres operating with licence are Lake Site Hospital, Janata Laboratory, Dr. Lab (Severon), Nironjan Usha Memorial Hospital and Sagor Sudha Diagnostic Center, the sources said.

Owners of the illegal pathological centers are doing business allegedly in connivance with a section of dishonest health officials and doctors working at government hospitals, they said.

Patients are often lured away from government hospitals with a promise for better treatment, allegedly with the help of the dishonest health officials and their agents.

Most of the people working as 'technicians' at illegal pathological centres have no training and requisite qualification. In most of the illegal disgnostic centres, health assistants perform tests and diagnose diseases, which often prove to be incorrect, sources said.

As per law, a pathologist must have a diploma from a recognised institution and undergo three years' training before working as a technician in a pathological laboratory, sources at CS' office said.

When contacted over phone, Civil Surgeon Md. Nazer said a three-member team headed by a medical officer at CS office has been formed to look into the matter.

"We have, meantime, served notices on the owners of diagnostic centres to apply for license".