THE health workers at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) who mistakenly diagnosed eight pregnant women as HIV-positive, have been sanctioned by the relevant authorities. “The matter has been dealt with and some persons involved in the wrong distribution of the results were sanctioned,” said Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, responding to queries by media operatives on the matter.
Mere days ago, the Minister Norton revealed that officials at the State-run laboratory were not following protocol in relation to the distribution of HIV results. He explained that the results were being distributed in “batches” and not “individually”, which might have caused a mix-up in the paperwork.
“You are supposed to give out the results individually, but we understand it was given out in batches, which is against the rules,” Norton said, adding that some persons were removed from their positions while others are facing sanctions following the revelation.
There is uncertainty, however, as to when exactly these wrong results were delivered to the women but according to Norton, the situation has been corrected and the women are now breathing a sigh of relief.