Industrial action of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) based on the decision of the management of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to post two doctors to work at their unit has been called off.
They suspended their action after their National Executive Council struck a deal with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health yesterday.
“The National Executive Council of the Ghana Association of Laboratory Scientists, having met on an emergency meeting held on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at the Oceanic Hotel, Accra, has resolved that we have taken charge of the industrial action staged by KATH chapter of the Association and its related action,” President of GAMLS, Dr. Abu Abudu Rahaman announced.
“We have also considered the recent ruling of the Accra High Court and the goodwill we have received from Parliament’s Committee on Health and the Ministry of Health to help resolve all the issues that caused the industrial action.
“We, therefore, appeal to members of the KATH Chapter as well as all the regional chapters who took action in solidarity with KATH to remain calm and return to work so that NEC will have an opportunity to review all the matters arising out of the occurrence for further decision to be taken going forward,” he added.
Dr. Rahaman assured members of the Association that their “matter remains legitimate and we will continue to pursue it for proper and effective redress at the national level.”
On May 20, 2021, the medical laboratory scientists and allied professionals at KATH embarked on a sit-down strike after protesting the decision of KATH’s management to post two doctors to work at the laboratory unit of the hospital.
The action became a fully blown industrial action after an emergency meeting held on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, with other regional branches of the group joining in the action in solidarity with their colleagues at KATH.
The GAMLS President said they suspected what they called a grand scheme to thwart the current line of progression, insisting that they had competent people to man laboratories in the country.
“We have PhD holders, master’s holders, and degree holders in abundance. Recently, we went to Nigeria and came with 85 foundation fellows for our college. This college has been approved by the same West African Health Organisation (WAHO) that approved their college,” Dr. Rahaman had said.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House