Biomedical lab practice in Ghana impeded by two challenges

The practice of biomedical laboratory services in Ghana is confronted with two major challenges, according to the professional group promoting best practices.

These are the delayed launch of three National Health Laboratory Policy documents and the stoppage of the Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) dues deductions by the Comptroller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD).

The new leadership of the Ghana Association of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists (GABMLS) has therefore set out to get the challenges addressed as soon as possible.

“In our pursuit to becoming an autonomous labour union, we have the arduous task of dealing with the intransigence of the HSWU leadership who are happily riding on the backs of some of our own members to frustrate our efforts at stopping the HSWU dues deduction by the CAGD. This unfortunate development sought to make nonsense of our claim of dis-affiliation in the sight of our membership”, said GABMLS President, Thomas Kwabena Gyampomah.

He cites the occupation of a new office complex for the Association’s National Secretariat in Accra as one of the successes in the past year.

“The advocacy roles of GABMLS for the smooth start of the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Sciences program in the University Development Studies (UDS), Tamale; the issuance of professional practice Certificates and Licenses to most applicants by the Allied Health Professions Council; and the development of the draft technical Legislative Instrument (LI) are worthy success marks chalked,” he noted.

The Association has set new objectives and priorities to meet the aspirations of the profession and its members within the next two years.

“We have committed ourselves to implementing innovative policies, programs and activities that will project the Association to greater heights,” said Mr. Gyampomah.

The Association will improve its online presence, introduce an overseas GABMLS group and establish new groupings to complement the work of statutory committees.

“We have already started collaborative engagements with the Allied Health Professions Council to sanitize the system and for the promotion of professional ethics and standards,” said the President.

Members have been urged to “make sure we maintain the highest and strictest professional codes and ethics of medical laboratory practice as we seek to provide quality medical laboratory services to our citizenry and the world”.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh