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A country’s wealth is congruent with its citizens’ health
Dear Editor,
The current offshore medical school imbroglio speaks volumes not only to the fraudulent practice and practitioners but also by extension, to the laxity of governmental, health administration and regulatory bodies in Guyana.
While the institution may be forced to close its doors, nevertheless, minds should remain open in order to answer the ensuing questions.
The Alexander American University operating in Guyana since 2015, under the CEOship of Indian national Venhata Rao Gopi, also wanted in India in connection with multiple fraud reports, is a blatantly poignant example of humiliation to a country by an expatriate.
An individual well received and a country profoundly deceived.
According to reports, the medical school began operating in Guyana in 2015 and boasts a student body of 300. It is worthwhile asking which Guyanese agency approved the request for the opening of this offshore medical university. Was there an indicated need for references to validate suitability, etc.?
At the level of the Guyanese Medical Board who was responsible for verification of the qualifications of the CEO prior to his even entering Guyana? Ironically, it is reported that the school was accredited by Guyana’s National Accreditation Council, a council established by Parliamentary Act 12 of 2004, and tasked with being the chief body in Guyana on conducting and advising re: the accreditation and recognition of training institutions and programs whether foreign or national, and for the promotion of the quality and standards of education and training in Guyana.
The school was accredited by the said Accreditation Council in 2016, one year after its opening.
One is instantly driven to inquire as to the frequency of accreditation being carried out. What were the results? Were these made available in the form of an Accreditation Certificate as is the case in first world regions?
Equally under scrutiny is the academic staff— the imparters of knowledge to the now beleaguered medical aspirants. What part has the Guyana Medical Council played in ensuring
that the members of the academic staff were suitably qualified?
If the professorial staff were trained overseas or outside of Guyana, who was responsible for ensuring that their qualifications met expected Guyanese standards.
For the purpose of comparison, at the most basic level, a nurse trained and qualified in the province of Ontario, cannot automatically move to another province and expect to be accepted at face value as a nurse based on her extra–provincial certification.
Instead, the qualifications must be forwarded for evaluation to the Nursing Board of the province wherein she intends to reside, and determination made as to licensure. In addition, licensure in the residing province must be obtained prior to employment being sought.
This rule also exists in the U. S. and also pertains to medical school graduates. Was there a publicly available centralized database of the teaching staff and their qualifications?
Barbados under the leadership of Prime Minister Mia Mottley, has now entered the annals of history as being the first Caricom country to crack down on offshore bogus medical universities.
It is my sincere wish that other countries follow suit in the swiftest manner possible. The Prime Minister blamed her predecessor for the flourishing of the offshore medical facilities in Barbados.
Guyana, a country that in the eyes of other nations appears an easy prey for duplicity, cannot afford to stand idly back and allow the country to be overrun by quacks.Incidentally India has the highest number of medical schools of any nation. There should be put in place immediately a newly revised legislation recipe, geared to reinforce vetting and accreditation process for all to see.
On a final note, records in Guyana state that Alexander American University was recognized and approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). Perhaps the Guyana Government can notify the WHO of the weird happening overseas as it pertains to the University. .
Y. Sam
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