Citizens will continue to benefit from a high standard of services with the certification of 10 laboratories by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).
A laboratory certification is the process by which a third party gives written assurance and recognition that a laboratory is conforming to specified requirements.
Eight medical laboratories and two non–medical ones were certified in keeping with the National Laboratory Standard GYS 170, which is the general requirement for the operation of a laboratory.
The eight medical labs that have been certified are those of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC); Woodlands Hospital; the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital; Eureka; Medical Arts Centre; St Joseph Mercy Hospital; Georgetown Medical Centre Inc and Quest Medical Laboratory. The other two are the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Central Laboratory and Kaizen Environmental Services’ lab.
GNBS Public Relations Officer (PRO) Lloyd David said the national standard allowed labs to develop a comprehensive management system which would enable them to issue accurate, reliable and consistent test results. The certification of itself allows the laboratories to determine whether they are performing their work correctly and to the appropriate standards. This is according to a report from the Government Information Agency (GINA).
David added, “The laboratories can further be accredited to international standards.” He explained that other countries could send samples to Guyana to be tested, noting that the results would be internationally recognised.
David further said that labs were re-evaluated periodically by the GNBS to ensure that there was continual compliance with the requirements and they were maintaining standard operating practices. He noted that labs were required to participate in relevant proficiency testing programmes between re-assessments, as a further demonstration of technical performance.
The PRO, according to GINA, explained that if the labs were not maintaining the standards upon inspection, they would be given time to make the necessary adjustments and if they did not make those changes after a certain period of time, their certificate could be revoked.
David pointed out that there were many more laboratories in the country that needed to be certified and encouraged them to do so. He noted that it would not be an easy task or process, but once the process was completed, it would give the labs a boost in business and citizens would enjoy and receive a high standard of service.
GNBS Public Relations Officer Lloyd David
The GYS 170 Standard is divided into three main sections – management, safety and technical requirements. The management section provides requirements necessary for the lab to operate efficiently. Some of the key elements within this section includes: management systems, organisation, and complaint and internal audits.
Under safety requirements, a lab is obligated to implement basic safety policies and procedures to ensure that its environment is safe for all. The technical requirements are necessary for demonstrating the technical competence of the laboratory. These will enable the lab to perform tests that are recognised and produce accurate, reliable and consistent test results. Some of the key elements in this section that help the laboratory to efficiently monitor and manage include: personnel, equipment, test methods and method validation, and internal audits.
The GNBS was established in March 1984 under Act No 11 of Parliament of the same year. The Bureau has the legal status of a statutory corporation or a semi-autonomous agency. It is governed by a National Standards Council, whose members are appointed by the subject Minister.
Its vision is to improve the quality of goods and services in Guyana, by partnering with Government, consumers and industry through the process of standardisation, while its mission is to promote the national quality infrastructure for economic, social development and consumer protection in partnership with key sectors through standards, metrology and conformity assessments.
