Ignatius N.A Awinibuno
President of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), Ignatius N.A Awinibuno, has expressed worry and frustration at the lack of attention and neglect by government and its stakeholders towards the practice of laboratory activities in Ghana.
In light of this neglect, the association has embarked on a nationwide strike in order to put pressure on government to launch and implement the National Health Laboratory Policy, National Accreditation Policy and National Health Laboratory Strategic Plan which have all been signed by the then Minister of Health (MoH), Hanny-Sherry Ayittey, in 2013.
According to the association, the strike is to ensure that the signed policies will be launched and implemented to ensure accessible, affordable, accurate, reliable and safe medical laboratory practices in Ghana.
“There have been numerous instances where people have died needlessly and silently due to misdiagnosis and faulty equipment. We have also had reports of perfectly healthy persons being diagnosed with diabetes only to later find out that are not diabetic. Issues of this nature carry legal implications and undermine the work of professionals,” he revealed.
The issue of misdiagnosis, he said, is largely due to unlicensed and unqualified personnel being posted to the laboratory and to a logistical extent, the use of outmoded and faulty diagnostic equipment and the lack of reagents to facilitate laboratory tests.
He disclosed that there are laboratory staff who studied Chemical Engineering and wildlife officers who do not possess the requisite skills to practise medical laboratory science but have been posted to the laboratory. The policy when launched and implemented will determine who is qualified to work in the lab and also put in place quality control measures.
“On several occasions, we have made reports to the Ministry of Health to stop posting unqualified people but the postings are more politically guided than professionally required,” he lamented.
Mr Awinibuno pointed out that the GAMLS is a professional programme made up of a defined multi-disciplinary body of knowledgeable people, “and those who aspire to be part of this body must subject themselves to the requisite training and skill prescribed by the Allied Health Professions Council and the ACT 857-2013 and any other council under the laws of Ghana.”
He called on government to quickly heed to their call and truncate the posting of unqualified persons in order to sanitise the service.
BY Ernest Pappoe