The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Certification Services Department on Thurs-day recertified the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Laboratory after it demonstrated conformance to the requirements of the revised Guyana Standard.
This certification, the GNBS announced, made it the first of the laboratories in Guyana to conform to the requirements of the updated standard, GYS 170:2021 – General requirements for the operation of a laboratory.
Rosmarie Liliah, Technical Officer within the GNBS Certification Services Department, handed over the certificate, which is valid for two years, along with a plaque to the laboratory during a brief ceremony at the lab’s Parade Street, George-town location.
Receiving the certificate on behalf of the establishment was Deborah Ramsay, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital.
According to a GNBS statement on the recertification, Ramsay acknowledged the efforts of the Laboratory Team in ensuring standards are maintained and added that the certification along with the overall ISO 15189 certification the Hospital received in 2021 will be able to address crucial aspects in the lab, including risks.
Additionally, Nolan Hawke, Quality Manager of the Labora-tory, stated that implementing standards requires teamwork and good leadership.
He said, “I am happy that the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Laboratory was able to step over to the revised standard, which includes pieces of the ISO 9001, ISO 15198 and the ISO 17025 international standards.”
Hawke also encouraged other labs to not be timid about adopting the requirements of the revised standard because it will help to improve the overall national health care system.
On behalf of the GNBS, Liliah congratulated the lab but also advised that impromptu audits will be conducted by the Bureau to ensure that conformance to the requirements is maintained.
The scope of the certification covers hematology, serology, biochemistry and microbiology, immunology, parasitology/urology and Elisa/PCR.
The GNBS explained that through its Laboratory Certifica-tion Programme, it monitors the operations of laboratories involv-ed in testing, measurement and/or calibration activities to ensure that they are satisfying the criteria for certification and the requirements outlined in the National Standard.
Laboratories that 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 patients, medical practitioners, and other requiring medical results.
