Lab Scientists’ Strike: Parliament’s Health Committee summons Minister

The Health Committee of Parliament has scheduled a meeting with the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, on Tuesday, June 1 over the strike action by members of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS).

The meeting is expected to have in attendance as well representatives of all stakeholders in this matter.

It is aimed at resolving the issues as the Committee says it has taken note of the “fact that patients, particularly those who require laboratory tests, have been left stranded due to the protest by GAMLS which has now escalated into an impasse between the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and GAMLS”.

A letter inviting the Minister to the meeting also demanded the presence of the Chief Director, the Director of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation as well as the Director of Human Resource at the Ministry.

“I am also directed by the Honorable Chairman [of the Committee], to kindly request the Ministry to extend an invitation to the management and representative of the teaching hospitals, the Ghana Medical Association (Society of Laboratory Physicians Ghana), the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, the Society of Medical Laboratory Managers Ghana, the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency and the College of Physicians and Surgeons (Faculty of Laboratory Medicine),” the letter issued by the Assistant Clerk of the Committee said.

The strike by the laboratory scientists began at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and has taken a national dimension.

Not even a court injunction by the National Labour Commission (NLC) on Friday, May 28 has seen the striking laboratory scientists resume work.

Last Saturday on TV3‘s The Keypoints, a former Greater Accra Region Chairman of GAMLS, Dr Franklin Nii Armah, assured that due process will be followed as calls on them to suspend the strike heighten.