Ramsammy reminds…
RENEWAL of licences for private health care delivery institutions is contingent on compliance with regulations, particularly those related to the treatment of bio-medical waste, Health Minster Dr. Leslie Ramsammy reminded yesterday. He was speaking at a bio-medical waste treatment workshop in Regency Suites Hotel, Hadfield Street, Georgetown, the purpose of which was to educate stakeholders on all aspects of the technologically advanced hydroclave waste sterilisation system, to be installed at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
Ramsammy said: “The Health Facilities Licensing Act is our instrument to ensure compliance in both the public and private sectors.”
He explained that the law presently applies to all hospitals, to dialysis centres, cancer institutes and laboratories, among others but not yet to private doctors’ offices.
Regardless, Ramsammy said the legislation gives him, as Minister, the power to bring any institution under the jurisdiction, for the purposes of regulating pubic health.
In addition, the Ministry of Health Act dictates that the Health Minister, through the Ministry, must protect the people of Guyana and waste generated in a private doctor’s office constitutes a hazard to the public and, therefore, a real danger to the health and welfare of the people of Guyana, he elaborated.
Ramsammy declared that the Minister of Health has absolute jurisdiction to say, to the private institutions, what they must do with their waste.
He said, presently, in Georgetown, a programme addressing waste has been started and sensitization is being done.
But, in 2011, inspections for licences will demand that the private health sector, in particular, makes provisions for waste management.
“We have no objections to the private sector putting up their own facilities and taking care of their waste. If they do not want to invest, we will not allow waste to be disposed in the way it is being disposed of now,” Ramsammy said.
The private health care facilities can opt to be assisted by the GPH, for a service charge that can maintain the facility and pay staff. (Vanessa Narine)