Georgetown: The estranged wife of prominent biochemist who is part owner of Multi-Tech Laboratories has discovered a large batch of expired drugs sourced from Canada inside the laboratory of the business and has called for a full scale investigation by the medical authorities and the Public Health Ministry as she distance herself from any act that may be considered illegal.
Businesswoman Cheryl Bassoo is listed as a director of the Multi-Tech Laboratories located at Lot, 8, Cove & John East Coast Demerara, according to registrar documents signed in June, 2002. Her estrange husband, Dr. Errol Bassoo is listed as the other director.
According to the couple’s son, Christopher Bassoo, the discovery was made recently after himself and mother visited the building. “Even though this is my father it would be an injustice for me not to speak out because if people are being given results in the laboratory, that are being reach using expired drugs, then this can be dangerous to their life and wellbeing and this cannot be right on any scale,” he explained.
Noting that many people in Guyana will be quiet if they discover a relative guilty of wrongdoing, the junior Bassoo said it’s his civic duty to report the situation to the authorities. “My father is using outdated, expired reagents and medical supplies and I want the proper authorities involved.”
Adding that his father opened the medical lab since 2002, he said after being made aware of the situation recently, he contacted the Ministry of Public Health, the Pharmacy and Poison Board and the Chief Medical Officer.
Bassoo explained that when he and his mother visited the Cove and John property recently they discovered expired drugs in a drawer in his office and upon more detailed checks of the building; a refrigerator of expired reagents and other chemicals and items were discovered expired in the medical lab.
“There are many boxes of expired things marked from 2010, 2011 onwards, I also notice reagents expired from 2003 was in use, I have pictures and videos of its all, why would himself and staff keep expired things in a fridge and samples with people’s name on it for testing,” he emphasised.
He said in the back of the building there is a stock piled amount of drugs in boxes about six feet high. “These expired drugs were for high blood pressure, HIV, Metphormin and many others I am not a medical specialist so I don’t know all but I have photographic evidence.”
The younger Bassoo explained people are placing their lives at risk if they are being given results from a medical lab that has been using various expired chemical to reach a result. Then that result will decide what medication or problem that a person has to be treated which is misleading to clients.
“This place should be shut down and justice should take its course…there may be lots of people who had wrong diagnosis and are walking around feeling that they are fine. It’s mindboggling to think of the implications of this, affecting families who were sent or visited Multi-tech Laboratories over the years,” the concerned son reasoned. “More people who were affected should speak out regardless of family, relatives or what the situation is especially when it comes to health.”
He said his father is a medical biochemist who has staff working with him. “I assume the staff would know what is going on because as laboratory technicians simple reading the bottles or chemicals can reveal it is expired and should not be used.”
He continued; “There are expired things in the fridge since 2003, so if you don’t clean your fridge for 13 years then you differently have a problem, supermarkets or any business clean their shelves monthly I can’t see why there are so much expired drugs at a lab, I sure someone with a Phd should know better.”
Meanwhile, in an interview with Dr. Errol Bassoo at his Multi-Tech Laboratories, he said he teaches over 40 students at his school, Toucan Institute, along with various courses and he uses the expired reagents and other supplies during his practical courses.
According to a signboard at the business place, Toucan Institute school of medicine offers programs that includes: Laboratory Technician, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Scientist, Applied Science in Medical Assisting, Doctor of Medicine, Pre-Medical and Pharmacy.
“I won’t give them new stuff to learn or practice with, even when the bureau of standards came, I explained to them it was there for students to practice with,” the doctor explained. “We don’t use expired drugs, only reagents, we don’t use these things for people who apply to do actual tests.”
The doctor said of recent, tests are now being carried out at Dr. Benjamin Singh, who operates a clinic at his home Industry, East Coast Demerara since his estranged wife has now occupied a property at the front of the yard since they are presently proceeding through a divorce.
“The lab is now used strictly for school and students practical, there is no one who come here and get bad results, but before the issue with property earlier in the year all of our work was done here at the lab,” he explained.
When asked if his lab was certified, he said it was in the process if being certified through the accreditation council. When questioned if he was authorities or certified to operate a school, Dr. Bassoo said he had also applied to the National Accreditation Council for official certification which is being processed.
The Doctor produced a document that showed that the Ministry of Public Health in 2016 replied to a request he made for accreditation.
He said previously he operated a school located on New Market Street and even partnered with the Doobay Medical Centre but left three years ago and started his present school and applied for registration while teaching through that process.
When asked if he sells over the counter drugs or anything which is in his storage, Dr. Bassoo said he has a large quantity of expired medical supplies in his bond because of a court case between himself and Pharm Canada Inc. He said the matter was brought before Justice Rishi Persaud and his lawyer who dealt with the case was (now deceased) Vic Puran. The case was dismissed, he claimed.
Dr. Bassoo explained that he was a representative of Pharm Canada and had brokered a deal for medical supplies between for the then Government of Guyana.
“I was a representative of Pharm Canada, is not like if I purchase it on my own, and then we realized the drugs were made in India and not in Canada and the Government decided not to proceed with the purchase,” He explained “After the shipment was made and it was discovered the drugs was not what was requested, no money was paid over by the government or myself, the drugs came for the Guyana Government, it was statins and Metphormin.”
However, according to court documents (http://taxsaleproperty.org/forum/index.php?topic=2422.0;wap2) a writ of seizure and sale issued out of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, dated November 14, 2012, against the real and personal property of Errol Bassoo, Defendant, at the suit of Pharm Canada Inc. and Dil Muhammad, Plaintiffs, seized and taken in execution all the right, title, interest and equity of redemption of Errol Bassoo also known as Errol Ernest Bassoo, Defendant.
Although, Dr. Bassoo claimed he was the middle man between Pharm Canada and the Government of Guyana, the Canadian company levied against his property in Canada for payments of the drugs shipped to Guyana. The plaintiff in 2015 auctioned the property located at the London/Middlesex Court House, 80 Dundas Street, London, Ontario, N6A 6A3 on Friday, October 9, 2015, at 10:00 a.m.
Meanwhile, although his wife is listed as a director of the laboratory, Dr. Bassoo said he is the only owner and representative of the school and lab.
He said he has been separated from his wife for the past six years and a divorce is presently being sought after his mother passed away May last. He said subsequently to her death his estrange wife decided to occupy the building his mother and himself lived in because of the pending divorce. He said presently he is before the court pending an eviction brought against him by his estrange wife.
He said his wife owns nothings on the property but is fighting for shares. He said his lawyer Anil Nandall is dealing with the matter. In addition, he said his son Chris Bassoo is a fraud and his claims should not be trusted.
Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton said there will be an immediate investigation into the allegations made against the doctor.
Acting registrar of Pharmacy and Poison Board inspector Shivanand Geer said the Multi-Tech Laboratories was visited Friday last by his department and a reports is being done that will detail the findings which will be shared with the relevant authorities.
According to the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department, when reports are made inspectors visit both private and public health facilities to ensure they are complying with regulations.
Inspectors aim to ensure that all drugs/pharmaceuticals distributed and used in both the private and public health care system are registered, safe, efficacious, of the requisite quality, and are distributed in accordance with the Food and Drug regulations.
According to the Food and Drug Act 1971 and Regulation 1977, Regulation 78 states that every new drug/pharmaceutical must be registered, and Regulation 48 stipulates that all drugs/pharmaceuticals must be properly packaged and labeled.
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