Members of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) – Komfo Anokye Chapter have declared a sit-down strike with effect from Thursday, 20th May 2021.
This follows the decision by the management of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to still keep physicians who have been posted to the clinical laboratory of the hospital.
The management at a meeting on Monday 17th May 2021 affirmed its position that it is clothed with the power to appoint and assign and can do as it wishes unless a higher decision from the Ministry of Health comes to counteract its decision.
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It is on this background that the emergency meeting for the scientists to decide on their next course of action was held.
It would be recalled that the National Professional body has already declared its support and is ready to protect the interest of the profession in Ghana.
No group will be allowed to perpetuate illegality with the antiquated and old-age mindset of medical practice, it said.
Local Chairman of GAMLS at KATH, Ernest Badu Boateng, said: “We will not sit down for any other professional within the health team to come and tell us that they are more qualified than us and that they can perform more than we do.
“All we are saying that we respect their profession and so they should respect ours… It is our duty by law under Act 857 to perform all laboratory diagnostic tests.”
There are fears this new development may affect operations at the hospital’s testing centre as workers will have to halt operations for the next one week.