GPHC closer to implementing E-CRIV, drug monitoring system

GINA, GUYANA, Thursday, May 4, 2017

The manual record keeping procedure for drugs and medical supplies at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) is soon to be replaced with a computerised drug monitoring and E-CRIV (Combined Issued and Received Voucher) system. This drug monitoring system has been pushed by the government since 2016.

The new system is aimed at reducing or even eliminating the instances of drug shortages throughout Guyana. Director of Finance, with responsibility for procurement at the GPHC, Ronald Charles said that the implementation process has started and is moving apace.

Some of the shelves in the pharmacy at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

“We’ve gotten E-Gov (E-Government unit) because the infrastructure was set up, we’ve gotten E-Gov to run the fibre cables so at least we can have some sort of connectivity. There is a software system that we are implementing right now; (it) is a 300 software, we have started that implementation so we are hoping it would help with that sort of situation in terms of the quantification,” Charles explained.

The director also added that the Ministry of Public Health supports the initiative by ensuring that staff are trained to understand and manage the new system. Charles was at the time engaged with members of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services (PSCSS) who recently visited the institution.

The committee discovered that due to the fact that records are kept manually, they may not be accurate and it may be the cause for drug shortages at the referral facility. However, this new computerised drug monitoring and E-CRIV system has been fully endorsed by the committee.

“The computer will be able to even do your prognosis, do your forecasting, your consumption rate and workout everything, so as soon as that happens it will help a far way so that needs to happen,” Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, a member of the Committee noted

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings added that Information Technology (IT) officers of the Ministry of Public Health have recently been trained to ensure the new monitoring system is accurate and serves its purpose effectively.

“Our IT department, they have just come back from Atlanta. CDC (Centre for Disease Control) is helping us in that regard. We also have E-Governance. Ms. Cathy Hughes, PAHO, our technical partners and so, we don’t want to put a timeline, but very soon we will have the health information systems being kicked in at our referral hospital so that’s the good news,” Minister Cummings explained.

The management system which will be put in place will provide detailed data and guidance on drugs and medical supplies from the stage of tendering to distribution and consumption.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Health is seeking to train and deploy more pharmacists countrywide. This will complement the new drug management system.

 

By: Delicia Haynes

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