The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) have threatened to go on an indefinite nationwide strike from Wednesday, May 26, 2021.

The threat is in solidarity with their members at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) who began a one-week sit-down strike last week, following the posting of two medical officers to the Laboratory Services Directorate of the hospital.

Speaking on Accra-based radio station, Citi News, the National Public Relations Officer of the Association, Dennis Adu-Gyasi, said “What is happening at KATH is an affront on the practice of medical laboratory science in Ghana. The leadership of Komfo Anokye is not ready to give in to the request of the scientists over there; and it is still imposing the medical officers on the professionals."

He said the association after an emergency meeting with its members, “thinks it is a matter that needs to be taken up at the national level. We think that if by Wednesday nothing happens, we will take it up and escalate the industrial action on a national scale.”

Meanwhile, KATH's members of the association are still continuing with their sit-down strike despite an appeal by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to call off their protest and rather tabled their grievances.

The KATH GAMLS began a one-week sit-down strike last Wednesday to protest the appointment of two medical officers to the department.

They have given the authority of the hospital and the Ministry of Health a one-week ultimatum to withdraw the appointment of the two medical officers.

The members are of the view that the appointment of the two medical officers to the department was an intrusion into the profession of the medical laboratory technician fields, which according to them, was regulated by an act.

The local president of the association, Mr Ernest Badu Boateng told Graphic Online that at an emergency meeting last Wednesday, the members resolved to lay down their tools for one week in protest against the imposition of the two medical officers on the members.