GPHC’s operations “threatened by grave inadequacies”

Jan 26, 2017 News

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Two brain surgeries, evident lapses in judgement and purported instances of amnesia have been listed as contributory factors to the inadequacies of a senior official operating at the Georgetown Public Hospital

Corporation (GPHC).
The official who is reportedly tasked with making key decisions at the country’s premier health institution was in fact the subject of a no confidence motion moved by the former GPHC Board. This was in light of the fact that the Board had reason to believe that the senior official might have made several decisions although not cognitive enough to do so.
The Board, which was dissolved at the end of November last year, had unanimously voted for the individual in question to be removed because of the aforementioned shortcomings that were understandably causing more harm than good to the institution.
This state of affairs has been substantiated by former Chairman of the hospital’s Board, Dr. Carl ‘Max’ Hanoman, who revealed that “we decided that this person had to go but for some reason, others thought this person should stay.” A number of other officials have also supported the claims.
The senior official this publication was told was sent off for a short period because of the known issues but has been reinstated since the dissolution of the Board. A new Board is yet to be installed.
The outcome has reportedly been very troubling, with several questionable decisions still being made at the GPHC, this publication was told.
Recently this publication filed a report of a decision made at the hospital to permit the employment of a Finance Director, even though there was no vacancy for this position. According to additional information reaching Kaieteur News, the new Finance Director was employed on what is being deemed a ‘Super Contract’ which caters for a ‘super salary’ amounting to just under $1 million per month.
“This is against regulations because there was no Board approval…such a decision has to be made by the Board and this was disregarded for this person to be employed,” a source close to the operation of the hospital related to this publication.
The new Finance Director has reportedly since decided to bring on board too, a Deputy Finance Director, bringing the total number of Deputy Finance Directors also to two. The latest employed Deputy Director reportedly has no qualifications for such a position.
This “unqualified” Deputy Director has reportedly been tasked with procurement.
“People are wondering why procurement is in a messed up state at the GPHC…well the answer is right there staring them in the face, but nobody is taking action,” said the evidently concerned source.
“Money is just spending at the GPHC for no worthy cause…the unnecessary money that is being spent could be used to help improve the GPHC, instead this hospital is being brought to an all-time low because of mismanagement at so many levels,” the source quipped.
The source continued, “Just think about the amount of unnecessary money being spent at this main hospital in the country. For instance there are a number of people who were sent off to facilitate investigations; the investigations are finished but no decisions have been made as to whether these people are to be retained or sent off. But there are other people acting for these people…so not only the person sent off, but the ‘actors’ too, have to be paid each month. This is unheard of, the amount of people being paid to do the same thing at this hospital when there is a clear structure that says only one is needed,” the source stressed.
The individual believed to be at the centre of the dilemma at the GPHC has reportedly also been responsible for the appointment of two acting Director of Nursing Services, one of whom is reportedly not “remotely qualified.”
“Once you are friends with somebody ‘big’, it seems that you are guaranteed a place at the GPHC whether you have qualifications or not…you don’t have to attend university, get a degree, or qualify yourself in any way to get a ‘super salary’ here…that’s the message that is being sent out while patients, who are the most affected, continue to feel the brunt of this situation,” the source stressed.
According to the source, too, while numerous complaints have been made, no one seems willing to intervene.
“We need to let the President, the new Minister of Public Health, and all persons in relevant authority who care about improving the hospital to not only pay attention to the irregularities, but intervene…set things right at Georgetown Hospital,” the source appealed.
Just recently former Board Chairman, Dr. Hanoman, called for an investigation to be launched into the management of the GPHC if its operation is to be improved.

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