THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) is probing the disappearance of HIV rapid testing kits in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).This has been confirmed by Public Health Minister Dr. George Norton when he addressed members of the media on the sidelines of the Public Health Ministry’s year-end press conference on Friday.

“I am not happy with what is happening where drug shortages are concerned… We have a report right now that rapid test kits left the Materials Management Unit (MMU) to go up to Region Six, but disappeared in thin air,” Dr. Norton said.

Reports of similar mysterious occurrences have come out of regions One (Barima/Waini) and Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni). The authorities in Region One, he said, distribute the drugs and do not bring a receipt. This recurring issue will be dealt with, the minister said, and he will not sit idly by and let injustice and inefficiencies in the system prevail.

The Public Health Ministry has also received complaints regarding the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). “We received complaints that the length of time a patient has to wait for attention is absurd; persons are not getting medication…; we are getting complaints from the laundry room and even persons in the kitchen,” Dr. Norton said.

In a recent visit, officials discovered numerous issues at the hospital, including broken tiles in the children’s ward and sewage overflowing in certain places.
These matters, Dr. Norton said, are being investigated, and the hospital is expected to soon have a new board of directors.