The Ghana Association of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists (GABMLS) strike entered its second day yesterday, with private lab scientists becoming the resort for the numerous patients who needed medical laboratory tests for their medical care.
The private medical laboratories, majority of which are located close to public hospitals, were swamped with patients seeking to conduct medical lab tests requested by their doctors.
According to media reports, the incident was same across the various regions of the country where the strike is already taking its toll in medical care delivery.
GABMLS on Monday began its indefinite nationwide strike after the association’s numerous appeals to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to launch and implement three policy documents related to biomedical scientists proved futile.
Reasons
According to the association, they have been left with no choice but to go on strike because the health ministry has been insensitive to the plight of launching and implementing the policy documents and has not demonstrated enough commitment to improving medical laboratory services in Ghana and by implication, healthcare.
“After attending more than 40 meetings, dialogues and sending even a similar number of correspondences all to no avail since 2013, no other proof is required to support our claims of the ministry’s indifference to our issues,” Ignatius N.A. Awinibuno, GABMLS President, said at a press conference in Accra.
GABMLS indicated that the MoH must take the full responsibility for the delay in the launch and implementation of the policy documents and should not seek to create a non-existent impasse between the medical laboratory profession and Ghana College of Physicians and surgeons (responsible for training medical doctors or physicians).
“Let our cherished clients and the general public know that they are our primary concern for embarking on this strike since the implementation of these signed policies will ensure accessible, affordable, accurate, reliable, safe medical laboratory services in our country,” he said.
MoH Reaction
The MoH has assured GABMLS that it will work to address any misunderstanding that exists between the association and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, calling on the association to call off its strike action.
The ministry, in a release signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Tony Goodman, indicated that it has taken note of the rifts between the two groups and will ensure an early settlement of the issue, calling on the GABMLS to rescind its strike decision.
Explaining the steps that the ministry has taken in addressing the issue, Mr Goodman mentioned that on July 20, 2016, the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Association of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists were invited to appear before the National Labour Commission (NLC).
The purpose of the invitation, he said, was for the minister to explain why the Ministry of Health had not launched three documents which have been prepared by the Ghana Health Service with the support of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
“At the meeting, the Hon Minister of Health asked for a four week grace period to enable him to do some more consultation with the two main parties, i.e the Ghana Association of Biomedical Laboratory Scientist (GABMLS) and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons,” he said.
He said the request was in view of the entrenched positions being adopted by the parties because while GABMLS wanted the three documents to be passed, the college was contesting portions of the document, making its launch difficult for the Ministry of Health.
“The Hon Minister subsequently constituted a three man management sub-committee made of director, HRHD, director, general administration and the director, legal to hold further consultations with the parties and report back.
The sub-committee after discussions with the two parties found out that the parties have taken entrenched positions and recommended that an independent committee be formed comprising of a consultant and representatives from the Health Service Workers Union (a laboratory scientist), the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Ministry of Health, which the two parties agreed to,” he added.
Mr Goodman indicated that since then, invitations had been sent to the parties to submit nominees to form the committee.
“It is, therefore, strange that the biomedical laboratory scientists have decided at this moment to embark on strike.
The ministry is, therefore, calling on the association to rescind its decision and join hands with the ministry to find a lasting solution to the matter,” he concluded.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri