GPHC makes clear Campbellville Health Centre staff unaffected by syringe in water dispenser incident

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on Saturday in a press release said following an incident on Friday at the Campbellville Health Centre, all staff are safe and the syringe that was found in a water dispenser was tested at a laboratory.

See full press release from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation:

Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Addresses Inaccurate Social Media Post Concerning Campbellville Health Centre

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) wishes to address a recent inaccurate post circulating on Facebook regarding one of our satellite health centers, the Campbellville Health Centre.

On Friday, April 19, 2024, at approximately 2:00 pm, a security personnel assigned to the Campbellville Health Centre made a concerning discovery of a syringe lodged into a water dispenser bottle in the staff lunchroom.

Upon this discovery, the clinic administration promptly alerted both GPHC’s administration and the Chief Internal Security Officer.

In response, GPHC’s Chief Internal Security Officer promptly contacted the Guyana Police Force and accompanied police officers to the health centre.

Contrary to the misinformation circulating on social media, at the time of discovery, no staff reported any adverse health effects. However, in adherence to established protocols, all staff members were immediately transported to the Accident & Emergency Department at GPHC for precautionary screening for any potential toxicological concerns. Following thorough assessments, all staff were discharged and remain in good health, under continued monitoring.

Samples from the syringe and water dispenser were swiftly sent to an external laboratory for testing. The results revealed traces of alcohol present in the samples.

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation wishes to unequivocally debunk the inaccurate post circulating on social media platforms. We urge individuals to exercise caution and verify all information before sharing potentially misleading content.

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation wishes to emphasize that the health and well-being of our staff and patients are of paramount importance and as such take this incident very seriously. We also wish to notify the public that the incident is currently under investigation by both the Guyana Police Force and the internal security team of the Georgetown

Public Hospital Corporation.