By: Tiana Cole | HGPTV Nightly News
The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has reached a significant milestone in Guyana’s public healthcare system, as its Pathology Laboratory has been awarded ISO 15189 accreditation, the internationally recognised gold standard for medical laboratories.
This achievement makes the GPHC Pathology Laboratory the first public laboratory in Guyana to receive ISO 15189 certification. This benchmark validates technical competence, quality management systems, and the reliability of diagnostic results.
Chief Executive Officer of GPHC, Robbie Rambarran, described the accreditation as international recognition of the laboratory’s high standards and its staff’s dedication to patient-centred care. He noted that the certification confirms the accuracy and integrity of processes across every stage of laboratory testing, from sample collection to reporting.
Rambarran emphasised that while the accreditation is a major accomplishment, it also carries a responsibility to maintain global best practices consistently. He said families and clinicians rely heavily on pathology results to make critical medical decisions, and ISO accreditation assures them that these services meet internationally accepted standards.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony, delivering the feature address, hailed the achievement as a proud moment for both GPHC and the wider public healthcare system. He explained that the accreditation aligns with the government’s broader vision of building a world-class healthcare system and will directly impact patient care.
Dr. Anthony noted that one of the most important benefits of the accreditation is a significant reduction in test result turnaround time, particularly for severe conditions such as cancer. He explained that patients who previously waited months for biopsy results can now receive timely diagnoses, easing anxiety and allowing for faster treatment decisions.
The Health Minister also noted that the pathology laboratory is equipped with advanced technology and is expected to optimise its capacity to support not only GPHC, but also other hospitals across Guyana. Looking ahead, he suggested that the facility could eventually serve as a regional diagnostic hub, with Caribbean territories potentially sending samples to Guyana for processing.
The ISO 15189 accreditation represents a major step forward in strengthening confidence in public diagnostic services and reinforces Guyana’s growing capacity to deliver high-quality, internationally compliant healthcare.
