GINA | GOVERNMENT INFORMATION AGENCY

Medical Council to recommend, not discipline nurses

October 16, 2003

An article published in the Stabroek News, dated October 16, 2003 titled ‘Medical Council cannot discipline nurses’ stated that contrary to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, the Medical Council of Guyana (MCG) can only discipline doctors, not nurses.
The Stabroek News article quoted a section of the GINA release which said that the investigation was completed by the hospital’s administration and had recommended that the findings be taken to the Medical Council who would then determine whether a further investigation is necessary.
However, the main reason for referring the findings to the medical council, as which was stated in the GINA release, was for the Council to ‘determine and recommend whether both administrative and medical procedures were followed’. This section of the GINA release was excluded from the Stabroek News article.
The Stabroek News article also stated that the administration of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) did not officially inform its ‘source’ of the GPHC’s intention to forward the report to the Council.
Again, the GINA release stated that ‘Chief Executive Officer of the GPHC Michael Khan, in an invited comment, said the hospital will pass on the relevant information to the Guyana Medical Council by Friday’.
An intense investigation was launched into the death of Somatie Singh who was a patient of the Maternity Ward of the GPHC when she died late last month.
The GPHC has since concluded its investigation. The Guyana Nurses Association and the hospital administration have agreed to forward the findings to the Medical Council for further review and recommendations.
Two nurses, who were on duty at the time were sent on leave pending the outcome of the investigations.
Investigations will be conducted to determine whether medical and administrative procedures were followed.