GAMLS calls for diagnostic industry ahead of Free Primary Healthcare

The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) has called on the government to strengthen laboratory infrastructure and develop a self-sufficient diagnostic industry ahead of the rollout of the Free Primary Healthcare policy. The Association’s National President, Dr Eric Kofi Aidoo, said the country’s laboratory system had suffered years of neglect, with inadequate infrastructure undermining the effective delivery of diagnostic services. According to a report by adomonline.com on September 7, 2026, he said the problem was reflected in the design and construction of some health facilities, including projects under the Agenda 111 programme, where adequate laboratory spaces had not been incorporated from the planning stage. “Governments have come and gone, but I think that not much has been done to improve our laboratory system. If you look at most of the facilities that have been built and the ongoing projects, especially the Agenda 111 structures, they have been built without laboratory offices in mind, so the lab becomes an afterthought,” he said. Dr Aidoo said some health facilities were compelled to convert stores and toilets into laboratories after their construction, a situation he said could compromise quality, biosafety and workflow and affect the accuracy of test results. He urged the government to ensure that standard laboratory facilities were incorporated into the architectural design of health projects from the outset. He said this was particularly important as the country prepared to introduce Free Primary Healthcare, under which laboratories would play a critical role in the early diagnosis and management of diseases. Dr Aidoo made the call at the Association’s Ashanti Regional Congress and Scientific Conference, held under the theme: “Diagnostics at the Heart of Healthcare: Strengthening Laboratory Systems for Ghana’s Free Primary Healthcare Agenda.” The conference brought together medical laboratory scientists, academics, health policy experts and students to deliberate on the future of laboratory services and their contribution to Ghana’s healthcare system. GAMLS launches maiden medical laboratory science professionalism month Delivering the keynote address, Prof Samuel Asamoah Sakyi of the Department of Molecular Medicine at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) said Ghana’s pursuit of Universal Health Coverage would remain incomplete without a strong and locally driven diagnostic system. He called for the development of what he described as “diagnostic sovereignty,” which he defined as the ability of a country to produce, maintain and innovate its own diagnostic solutions without excessive dependence on external supply chains. Prof Sakyi said the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the vulnerability of countries that relied heavily on external sources for critical diagnostic tools and supplies. He therefore urged Ghana to build local capacity in diagnostic reagent production, laboratory consumables, equipment servicing and calibration, laboratory information systems, molecular diagnostics, quality-control materials, biomedical engineering, research and innovation. “We must begin to ask: Why should every diagnostic solution used in Ghana necessarily be developed somewhere else? Our scientists are capable. Our engineers are capable. Our entrepreneurs are capable,” he said. He said strengthening local diagnostic capacity would not only improve the resilience of the health system but also create opportunities for Ghanaian scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to develop solutions tailored to the country’s healthcare needs. Dr Aidoo also underscored the importance of the annual congress as a platform for continuous professional development, advocacy and engagement in national health policy. MRA/BAI Lands Minister officially hands over Environment Ministry to Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings Source: www.ghanaweb.com
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