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GPHC CEO Michael Khan sent on leave
… as hospital probes financial discrepancies
Weeks after the Director of Financial Services and a Clerk of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) were sent on leave to facilitate a probe into the disappearance of over $4M at the facility, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Michael Khan was yesterday ordered to go on annual leave.
CEO Michael Khan
Khan said that he received a letter from the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nirmal Rekha, early yesterday, instructing him to proceed on his annual leave with immediate effect.
He said that he was not told why he was sent on leave but claimed that he has 60 days accumulated annual leave. He said, too, that he is not sure when he will be back at the hospital but stated that the Director of Medical Services Dr. Sheik Amir will act as the CEO in his absence.
Kaieteur News tried to contact Rekha who is also the Finance Secretary of the Ministry of Finance to no avail.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, who also serves as a member of the Board, said that he is not aware that Khan was asked to go on leave.
Meanwhile, although Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, confirmed last evening that Khan was sent on leave based on a directive of the Board, he did not divulge the reason for the action. According to the Minister, the Board is allowed to operate under a certain recommended framework which requires that he, as Minister, have “an arms-length” approach to it.
“I will have to consult with Mr. Rekha…he was trying to get me this afternoon (yesterday); he will have to let me know what exactly is the position of the Board. I don’t want to be speculating on the details of it, I have to be briefed further…but I have confidence in the Board,” he added.
The Minister pointed out that, “the decision was not the decision of a single person, it was a Board decision; so myself and my Chief Medical Officer, who is also on the Board, will be checking exactly what is the position, and about the sustainability of operations,” said the Minister.
This publication was however reliably informed that Khan was sent on leave to facilitate a thorough investigation into the recently detected fraud. It was explained that in order for a necessary audit and other scrutinizing processes to be undertaken it was recommended at the level of the Board that Khan be sent on leave to prevent any potential interference.
The GPHC, a few months ago, appointed the existing Board of Directors and this publication was told that the Board will ensure that matters affecting the operation of the hospital are thoroughly investigated and necessary action(s) taken.
The current Board of Directors comprises six former members, among them Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, Ms Renata Chuck-A-Sang, Mr. Sheik Amir, Colonel Mark Phillips, Ms. Norma Semple, Brother Kempton Alexander and four new members; Dr. Mahendra Carpen, Dr. Dalgleish Joseph, Ms. Bibi Zaheeda Hack and Mr. Nirmal Rekha.
The new Board became operational in July and is expected to serve until June 2014.
According to Minister Ramsaran the Ministry is allowing its Boards, including that at the Berbice Regional Health Authority, to operate independently, even as he emphasized that the GPHC Board has the requisite competencies to make certain decisions.
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