KATH Laboratory Workers Declare Strike

Laboratory professionals at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, the KATH, have announced a sit down strike beginning Thursday, May 20, 2021. They are angry over a decision by the management of the KATH to post two medical officers to the laboratory Services Directorate as Clinical Haematologists. Announcing the industrial

action to the media, Chairman of KATH Chapter for the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientist, the GAMLS, Ernest Badu Boateng said the consensus was arrived after a crunch meeting with members and from tomorrow Thursday to next week Wednesday, May 26 2021 all laboratory services would be withdrawn; from

the infectious diseases and research lab and the blood bank lab. This means COVID testing and surgical cases that will require blood will halt. If our demands are not met by Wednesday, then we will decide on the next line of action to also get the professional suppression and oppression also out of our way. The group also wants

management of KATH to as a matter of urgency take the two physicians out of the lab and reassign them. Our practice is guided by regulation so you cannot just pick anybody to work in the lab if the person is not licensed and trained to discharge that duty. Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association has also described as

disturbing the industrial action also by the Laboratory Scientists. In a press statement signed by its President, Dr Frank Ankobeah, the GMA said the demand by KATH chapter of Medical Laboratory Scientist is ill informed and also completely unacceptable. The GMA has every confidence in the management of KATH and its ability to resolve this impasse, create the conducive working environment for all its staff and ensure cohesion in the

healthcare team. Nonetheless, we will not stand aloof while our members are threatened and harassed. We hereby serve notice to the Ministry of Health, and the management of the KATH and all other stakeholders that the GMA will respond appropriately should this illegality on our members be acceded to. The Ghana Medical Association warned any harassment to its members in their line of duty will be fiercely resisted.