A nationwide industrial action by the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists is taking a toll on health service delivery in various public health centers across the country.
In the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, patients accessing laboratory services at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) were left stranded on Monday May 28, 2018.
The situation at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra, the Tamale Teaching Hospital in Tamale and Efia Nkwata Government Hospital in Takoradi, were not different.
Some frustrated patients pleaded with the government to ensure the striking laboratory scientists return to post.
The usual congestion at the parasitology and hematology units of the aforementioned hospitals was absent when the Prime News Ghana team visited on Monday.
Patients who had been referred to the units for laboratory services were turned away.
The striking laboratory scientists are protesting against what they claim to be disrespect by medical superintendents and directors over their welfare issues.
The association has accused the medical superintendents and directors of disrespecting their profession by employing unlicensed personnel to take their place, endangering the general public.
According to the Association, over 90 percent of laboratory processes in public health facilities in Ghana are not under professional control.
This, the group says, threatens the quality and accuracy of lab results bring churned out. The association blames this mainly on the lack of supervision and quality control.
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