By Praveen Dwivedi

New Delhi, Apr 19 (IANS): Abdul, a 38 year-old hospitality management employee, waiting for his turn to get his Covid-19 test done at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital on Monday, questioned the safety the preparations, saying that a sample testing centre was made at the corner of the building resulting in congestion.

There was no seating arrangement except for a notice board indicating Covid-19 sample testing, and people visiting for sample testing had to manage on their own.

LBS hospital is a non-Covid-19 dedicated healthcare centre, but it is carrying on sample testing for Covid-19 and vaccination along with general and emergency health services.

A person visiting for sample testing at LBS has to reach there before 12 noon for the mandatory registration process before sample testing gets done. However, those having online registration would not require the following registration process.

"I came here for testing as I have to submit a report to my office. I don't know if I'm positive, but gathering here can spread the disease. This sample testing centre should have been set up at an open place where social distancing could be maintained," said Abdul.

After waiting for around two hours, a Delhi Civil Defence (DCD) volunteer who tested positive, said "How would one get better health advisory, if there is no doctor to give much needed advice to the people found Covid-19 positive."

Renu Sharma, who also received her report after testing positive, said, "At least, one senior doctor should be thtre to tell patients if they need to go to hospitals or not. Only handing over a report by a non-medical person is not enough. Non-medical staff should be allowed to give direction to the people whether to ge hospital or not. People getting affected Covid have more and more questions that need to be answered."

LBS management has its own problems to share with IANS. The hospital has been already been facing staff shortage after six vaccination centres were started.

After the OPDs were suspended in nearby hospitals in view the of the Covid-19 pandemic, including the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP), more people have started rushing toward LBS for general medical services.

"LBS is not a fully Covid-19 dedicated hospital. Here we have to run emergency services along with Covid-19 testing and vaccination. We are over burdened due to relentless work and staff crunch. We do only sample testing but we don't have a dedicated Covid-19 in the hospital," said Ram Pal Gujjar, a nursing officer at the LBS hospital.