04/02/2026
๐๐ฐ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฌ
Two years is enough time for a laboratory to reveal what it truly is. Not in theory or intention, but in practice. Since its commissioning in February 2024, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporationโs Pathology Laboratory has moved beyond the symbolism of a new facility and into the quieter, more demanding work of proving reliability in the local health care system where accuracy carries real consequences.
That work is now reflected in recognisable milestones. The laboratory has since earned certification under Guyanaโs GYS 170:2021 standard and has been awarded the ISO 15189 Plus accreditation, affirming its alignment with both national and international standards for pathology services. These achievements are not decorative, they represent systems that function, processes that are tested, and a commitment to doing the work correctly even when no one is watching.
To fully understand the significance of these achievements, it is necessary to look back at where the service once stood. In 2021, pathology was identified as one of GPHCโs most urgent priorities, operating out of a cramped, ageing structure no longer suited to modern diagnostic work, with limited equipment and turnaround times averaging 35 days. Early interventions focused on restraint rather than cosmetic fixes, including minor repairs, the procurement of essential equipment, and protocol reviews, but it soon became clear that incremental changes would not deliver the efficiency or quality required.
A broader transformation followed, marked by expanded staffing, upgraded systems, and the development of a purpose-built laboratory environment supported through an investment by the Government of Guyana exceeding $474 million. The impact has been measurable. Turnaround times fell from 35 days to 21, then 14, then 10, and are now within seven days, with urgent cases completed within 24hours.
That transformation was strengthened through strategic partnerships which helped shape the project from concept to ex*****on. Investments in modern laboratory equipment, overseas training for medical staff, the introduction of telepathology for expert consultation, the launch of frozen section services for rapid intraoperative diagnosis, and environmentally responsible chemical recycling have collectively redefined what public pathology services can deliver.
The change is reflected not only in expanded capabilities, but in faster answers for patients, grounded in the understanding that a delay in diagnosis is a delay in treatment, and that such delays carry real consequences.
On December 17, 2025, GPHC formally received the ISO 15189 Plus accreditation for its Pathology Laboratory by Accreditation Canada Diagnostics. International accreditation carries its own weight, but it also invites a misconception. From the public view, it can appear as a singular achievement, a moment that signals arrival. Inside the laboratory, it reflects something far less tidy: sustained effort, repeated evaluation, corrective actions, and the discipline to maintain standards under constant operational pressure.
This is where the focus must shift from systems to people. Standards do not implement themselves, and certificates do not sustain quality. Behind every audit, every validated process, and every step toward both national certification and international accreditation is a team working through uncertainty, troubleshooting gaps, and staying consistent even when the work is demanding and largely invisible. In reflecting on these milestones, the laboratoryโs leadership acknowledged the unseen struggles, the long hours, the repeated checks, and the persistence required to maintain momentum and ensure that every result meets the highest standards. It is this dedication, more than any plaque or certificate, that drives the laboratory forward and underpins its growing reputation for reliability and excellence.
That persistence matters because the laboratoryโs work is inseparable from service. For many patients who rely on GPHCโs Pathology Laboratory, public care is not a secondary option. It is the only point of access to diagnostic testing. When private services are financially out of reach, the accuracy and timeliness of public pathology results become critical, shaping clinical management, guiding treatment decisions, and influencing the possibility of earlier diagnosis.
In that reality, certification and accreditation take on a deeper significance. They are not pursued for professional recognition alone, but because a patient waiting on pathology results is waiting on answers that determine what happens next. The laboratory may appear seamless from the outside, but that appearance is built on teamwork, on staff coordinating, checking, documenting, refining, and returning each day to the same standard of care.
Today, on the second anniversary of its commissioning, the GPHC Pathology Laboratory stands not only as a site of technical achievement, but as evidence of what sustained public service looks like when people commit to doing the work well. As we observe World Cancer Day alongside the labโs second anniversary, its impact on cancer diagnosis is clear, delivering precise histopathology services, supporting earlier detection, and enabling treatment decisions that can change lives. The milestones matter. The standards matter. But it is the dedication of the team behind the results that gives them meaning.
