KATH: GAMLS supports strike action by lab workers

The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), has pledged its support for a planned strike action by members at the Komofo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

The sit-down strike, according to the lab workers is to protest what they say is the failure of management to reassign two specialists who were posted to the department two years ago.

They therefore gave the hospital administration to the end of today, May 18, 2021, to address their concerns and have the specialists reassigned or have the industrial action triggered.

In a statement to the Chief Executive Officer of KATH then, they noted that: “If by the close of day Tuesday the 18th of May 2021, these two medical officers are still officially staff within LSD and the Haematology Unit to be precise, then the entire membership of the GALMS-KATH Chapter will begin a sit-down strike beginning Wednesday 19th May 2021.”

The group claimed that two medical officers, Lesley Osei and Eunice Agyemang Ahmed were posted to the LSD by the Medical Director as clinical haematologists.

In a response signed by the President of GAMLS, Dr Abu Abudu Rahamani said its associates itself fully with the concerns raised and a roadmap presented by the lab workers on addressing the issue.

The statement further urged members to be ready for a call to duty in seeking their independence since all forms of arbitrations seem to have failed.

“The leadership of Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists – Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Chapter, on 12^th May 2021 wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital and his Management to remove Physicians they have posted to the Hematology Unit/Laboratory. The National Professional Body received a copy of the said letter and the associated threat of labour action should their request fall on deaf ears. The issue rearing its ugly head in KATH has been a long standing one for at least two years” part of the statement reads.

It added, “All attempts to get the attention of the management of the hospital to resolve the issue amicably with the leaders of the Chapter have failed. GAMLS associates itself fully with the concerns raised by its members in KATH and supports the roadmap prescribed in seeking the issue resolved. It is our hope that the matter is addressed before the anger among members erupts on a wide scale.

“We call the attention of the President of Ghana and the Minister of Health to the problem in KATH. We plead with members across Ghana to be in readiness for a call to duty in seeking our independence since all avenues of arbitration seem to have failed. Medical Laboratories are vital so are the medical laboratory professionals.”