The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) on Thursday, November 10, 2022, certified the Home Care Medical Laboratory of Columbia, Essequibo Coast under its Laboratory Certification Programme. This new laboratory now earns a place on the list of certified laboratories in Guyana after it successfully demonstrated conformance to the requirements of the Guyana Standard (GYS 170:2009) – General requirements for the operation of a laboratory.
The certificate, which is valid for two years, was formally handed over to the Laboratory’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mahesh Itwaru by Technical Officer within the Certification Services Department of the GNBS, Mr. Latchman Mootoosammi during a brief presentation ceremony at the Laboratory’s location.
In addressing those at the event, Laboratory Manager, Mrs. Marina Itwaru said she is extremely excited that the day has come when her laboratory is being certified by the GNBS. Ms. Itwaru added that it has been the vision of both she and her husband (Mr. Mahesh Itwaru) to bring certified healthcare services to the citizens of the Essequibo Coast. The Laboratory Manager extended gratitude to the GNBS Team and the Laboratory’s Quality Manager, Mr. Lendon Wilson for the certification and support provided, respectively.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mootoosammi extended congratulations to the management and staff of the laboratory for being the first on the Essequibo Coast to achieve certification to the National Laboratory Standard. The Technical Officer encouraged the laboratory personnel to continue to maintain the requirements of the Certification and advised that surveillance audits will be conducted to ensure continued conformance.
The special occasion was attended by several representatives of the Essequibo Business Community including the President of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Suean Sewnarayan. The Chamber President expressed her delight at the progress of businesses on the Essequibo Coast and congratulated the Laboratory Owners for achieving certification of their testing facility. She also expressed delight that the residents of Essequibo do not have to expend time and sums of money to travel to Georgetown to access certified laboratory testing services.
The Laboratory’s scope of testing services provided under the Certification are Haematology, Biochemistry, Urology, Serology.
Through its Laboratory Certification Programme, the GNBS monitors the operations of laboratories involved in testing, measurement and/ or calibration activities to ensure that they are satisfying the requirements outlined in the National Standard.
Laboratories, which conform to the requirements of this standard, are provided with formal recognition to attest that they have implemented an effective laboratory management system, which aids their provision of accurate and reliable results to customers.
There are now twenty-five (25) clinical and testing laboratories certified by the GNBS. The Bureau encourages more uncertified laboratories to pursue certification under its Laboratory Certification Programme.
