By Samira Larbie, GNA
Accra, May 4, GNA – Members of Korle-Bu Doctors Association (KODA) have embarked on an industrial action over what they describe as an operational and policy dispute concerning access to laboratory space and professional roles within the hospital’s Central Laboratory.
The strike, which began on Monday, stems from longstanding tensions between medical doctors trained in laboratory medicine and laboratory scientists over authority, workspace, and leadership within laboratory units.
A medical practitioner, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on condition of anonymity, said doctors who had undergone specialist training in laboratory medicine under the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons had been denied access to the central laboratory.
“The issue is not even primarily about who heads the laboratory now,” the source said.
“The immediate concern is that doctors trained in laboratory medicine have been driven out of their designated working space and are unable to perform their duties.”
The Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons runs a fellowship programme in laboratory medicine, including specialties such as chemical pathology, which typically takes between six and seven years to complete.
Graduates are expected to work within laboratory settings as part of their clinical and diagnostic responsibilities.
However, laboratory scientists have reportedly resisted the presence of these doctors, citing concerns over professional boundaries and possible encroachment on their roles.
At one point, tensions reportedly escalated to the extent that some doctors were prevented from accessing certain laboratory areas, the source added.
The impasse has begun to affect service delivery, with some patients reportedly being turned away from facilities, including maternity services, due to disruptions caused by the strike.
Efforts by the GNA to obtain official comments from the KODA executives were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe