Office assistant collects coronavirus samples in Akhaura

An office assistant of Akhaura Upazila Health Complex in Brahmanbaria has been collecting blood samples from people with coronavirus symptoms for the last week.

However, the office assistant, Nasir Uddin has not received any training to carry out the task.

So far, 100 samples have been collected from the upazila, and Nasir Uddin has collected 80 of those.

Initially, lab technician of the health complex Md Monir Khan who is trained up in collecting blood samples had been collecting samples from patients. But at one stage, he fell sick and expressed inability to continue the task. In his absence, Nasir has been doing the duty for the last seven days.

Nasir Uddin said, "I've been collecting samples without facing any difficulties because they showed me how to do it. I have been given all related accessories including personal protective equipment (PPE)."

When contacted over phone, Health and Family Welfare Officer of the upazila Dr Rashedur Rahman said, "Do you have anything to do with who is collecting blood samples? If you have any other thing to say, you can tell me."

When asked whether there was any risk in collecting blood samples by an untrained person, he instantly disconnected the call.

Civil Surgeon of Brahmanbaria Dr Md Ekram Ullah said they would look into whether there was any lab technician in Akhaura or not. "It is the technician's duty to collect samples from a patient," he added.