Medical Laboratory Scientists call of strike

Striking members of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) on Tuesday called off the strike action.

This was after a meeting by the leadership of the Association with the Health Committee of Parliament in Accra.

Following the meeting, Dr Abudu Rahamani, the President of the Association, directed all the members to go back to work immediately.

He said the National Executive Committee was dialoguing with Parliament, with positive indications from the House to address their concerns.

Medical Laboratory Scientists and allied professionals at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) joined by their colleagues in other public health institutions in Ghana, for some weeks now have laid down theirs tools to press home their demands for recognition.

The strike action was in reaction to what the scientists consider as a takeover of their role by doctors at the KATH as two doctors, rather than qualified medical laboratory scientists, were said to have been appointed to head the Laboratory Unit of the Hospital.

A directive by the Ghana Labour Commission to the medical laboratory scientists cut no ice and the action continued.

Also, Parliament last week urged the striking doctors to petition it for their concerns to be looked into.

The leadership of the GAMLS, therefore, held a meeting with the Committee, chaired by Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, and supported by Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Ranking Member.

After the meeting, Dr Rahamani said: “As a result of the high respect we have for the Committee, the strike has been called off.”

“We will certainly advise our members. It is the members who take action and just as it was presented here, the conditions remain as it is and we do not see much change, we have a lot of trust in the Committee.”

“We hope that this time round, we will receive a favourable response.”