THE Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has awarded eight certified medical laboratories which continued to demonstrate their commitment towards the implementation of standards in Guyana.

This initiative was taken by the GNBS as it joined with those in the Medical Profession to commemorate Medical Laboratory Professionals Week during the period April 19 to 25, 2015 under the theme: ‘Laboratory Professionals – Get Results’. The laboratories that received awards are the Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital Laboratory, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Medical Laboratory, Eureka Medical Laboratories Inc. (Georgetown), St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Laboratory, Georgetown Medical Centre Laboratory, Quest Medical Laboratory, Medical Arts Centre Laboratory and the Woodlands Hospital Laboratory.
The GNBS also awarded two laboratory professionals for their dedicated support and contributions towards the development, implementation and maintenance of Laboratory Management Systems within laboratories.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Evadnie Enniss, Executive Director of the GNBS, emphasised the importance of establishing a certified laboratory management system within laboratories so as to ensure that the results provided are accurate and reliable. Ms. Enniss also reminded laboratory professionals that the sky is the limit and they should not just stop at certification to the national standard but continue to strive to become accredited to international standards which would allow local and overseas clients to use their services and be confident of the results provided.
Meanwhile, Ms. Candelle Walcott-Bostwick, Head of GNBS Conformity Assessment Department, in outlining the Laboratory Certification Programme, highlighted requirements to be fulfilled by laboratories to qualify for certification. She emphasised the need for management commitment to the process of implementation in order to ensure that the quality system is maintained.

Dr. Morris Edwards, Director of Chronic Diseases, Ministry of Health, in his presentation reminded laboratory professionals of the very important role they have to play in ensuring that the various tests they are required to undertake for their clients are accurate. He stated that physicians are heavily reliant on these results to diagnose and treat patients and hence laboratories cannot afford to err.
Laboratory professionals representing the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and Quest Medical Laboratories shared testimonies of the challenges, successes and benefits of being certified medical laboratories.
Without a laboratory management system, laboratories have no recognised way of assuring their customers who include doctors, patients, insurance companies, embassies, regulatory authorities and other interested parties that the results they provide after conducting the required tests on a sample are reliable. The GNBS has the expertise to work with potential and currently certified laboratories to ensure they implement and maintain a laboratory management system.