Blood transfusions at GPHC provided free for patients

In light of reports that patients have been asked to pay for blood at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), it has been explicitly stated that all transfusions with blood products at the facility are provided at zero costs.

A statement outlined that blood transfusion is a critical service provided at the GPHC and other hospitals in the country. The Government of Guyana bears 100 per cent of the cost for blood product transfusion in the public health sector. This means that anyone receiving care at the GPHC or any of the public hospitals is entitled to receiving blood products at no cost to them and their families.
“If anyone at the GPHC or any of the public hospitals have been asked to pay for blood and blood product transfusions at any of the public hospitals, that person is a victim of a scam,” it added.
The GPHC Board has received several complaints about patients being asked to pay for blood products at the GPHC and asked to have family members donate blood. The management has assured the Board that blood products and transfusion service at the GPHC is free of charge to all patients, no exception.
In addition, Guyana adopted since 2001, a 100 per cent voluntary donation programme for blood. Since that time, family members are not asked to donate blood before blood products are provided for transfusion. Therefore, for anyone to be told they must have family members donate blood before they are able to receive blood, is a violation of the protocol.
“The Board has been assured that no patient is being asked to pay for blood products at the GPHC. Management has investigated allegations made in regards to paying either for blood products or for donors. Management is satisfied that staff members are not involved in this scam.”
The Board and management are urging persons to report any case of being asked to pay for either blood products or for donors.
“Although management is satisfied that staff members are not involved, if any staff member engages in such requests, he or she will be severely disciplined. If persons outside the hospital engages in such a scam, the matter will be referred to the police,” patients have been reassured.
Anyone with such information must contact 225-3361.