Admission to GPHC post-graduate programmes continues to be strictly merit-based – GPHC

– rejects Dr Karen Cummings’ malicious statement

The management of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has emphatically rejected the unsubstantiated and disparaging remarks made by the former Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr Karen Cummings, in the National Budget Debates on Thursday last.
Dr Cummings alluded to “significant disparities along ethnic lines” within the surgical department and surgical training programme at the GPHC.
In a statement issued by the GPHC, it stated that it is unfortunate that Dr Cummings has made allegations of racism in the training programme that is jointly delivered by the University of Guyana and the Institute of Health Science Education (IHSE).
“In making her remarks, Dr Cummings specifically identified the post-graduate training programme in surgery. Dr Cummings failed to recognise that all batches of recruitment for the post-graduate programme in surgery since 2015 were done during the period that APNU/AFC was in Government and for most of that period Dr Cummings served as a Minister in the Ministry of Health.”

The medical facility explained that the process for selection for all of the post-graduate programmes offered by the GPHC through the IHSE and UG are solely merit-based on established admission criteria and overseen by a diverse selection panel which comprises of esteemed personnel from various entities, including the University of Guyana and international partners.
The IHSE/UG operate a competitive surgical programme with a rigorous application process that requires that the applicant satisfy multiple requirements prior to admission. At no stage of this process is information related to the race of the applicant requested or considered by the IHSE, UG or the GPHC.
On this note, the GPHC formally invited Dr Cummings to provide any evidence she claims to have while adding that the GPHC will investigate any allegations that Dr Cummings claims to have once those allegations are provided to the GPHC.
“Since 2015, the IHSE has admitted a total of 33 successful applicants, including the last intake of six (6) applicants in May 2020 into its post-graduate surgery programme. As stated before, all the recruitment batches and all the successful applicants were during the time Dr Cummings was a Minister in the Ministry of Health or when she served for a short period as Minister of Foreign Affairs. All the 33 students accepted in the programme occurred while the Government in place was led by the party Dr Cummings now represent in Parliament.”
The GPHC has confidence in the selection process. As far as remuneration is concerned, these are guided by clearly documented human resource guidelines that are compliant with public service regulations, the release added.
Meanwhile, the GPHC urged Dr Cummings, as a fellow healthcare professional, to refrain from repeating unsubstantiated claims and hearsay.