Private hospitals must comply with safety laws

Nov 29, 2009 News

By Fareeza Haniff

While Guyana is fortunate to have among the most advanced occupational health and safety laws, many workplaces including the private and public health sectors are not in compliance.

This was noted by Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy during his address to participants at the occupational health and safety workshop organized by his ministry and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) at the Ocean View International Hotel on Thursday last.

The Health Minister was pellucid that at present, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is in total compliance with the health and safety laws, as the Health Service Agreement with the regions now makes demands on the administration to ensure occupational the related measures are in place.

Additionally, Minister Ramsammy pointed out that the Health Ministry’s standard and technical department – which is responsible for licensing hospitals – has now included occupational health and safety in the inspection process of hospitals.

In this regard, Dr. Ramsammy noted that the private hospitals will have no choice but to comply with the laws in order to get their licences.

“So when the team goes out to do inspections over the next couple of weeks for the purposes of the 2010 licence, the private hospitals will have to demonstrate that occupational health and safety issues will be addressed,” the Health Minister noted.

He explained that licences will be contingent on these institutions meeting the requirements, while the same methods will be applied to all public health facilities.

Meanwhile, the workshop focused on matters relating to the safety of health care workers with special focus on their risks of respiratory infections, particularly in the context of H1N1.

Minister Ramsammy expressed disappointment with the way Guyanese utilize public facilities, as he urged for citizens to be educated on how to maintain a clean environment.

“The use of facilities by the public sometimes leaves much to be desired. The sanitary awareness of our people, whether they are health workers, teachers and ordinary citizens in Guyana, leaves much to be desired.”

Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Country Dr. Kathleen Israel told the health workers that the recent emerging respiratory events which have alarmed the world and galvanized governments into taking action to safeguard the health of the population at large, also brings them face to face with the reality that the same risks confronting the public also confront the health care providers in a much more significant way.

They were reminded that they are on the front line of the battle to promote health, prevent illness and treat diseases.

Dr. Israel explained that influenza is usually a community-acquired infection to which both health care workers and the community at large are susceptible.

“Health care workers are frequently exposed to this viral condition through close contact with patients and their relatives who are carriers of the virus, and may themselves become infected. In Guyana, acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are also of significant public health concern and expose and predispose health care workers to a higher than normal risk of infection,” Dr. Israel said.

She underscored the point that the responsibility for the safety of health care workers is a joint one as the employer has responsibility to provide the health worker with the necessary knowledge, skills and protective mechanisms to keep them safe.

But at the same time, Dr. Israel noted that the health worker has a responsibility for making the best use of the knowledge and skills gained, as well as the appropriate use of the protective gear provided, in order to reduce the risk to infection.