Koforidua, June 3, GNA – The Eastern Regional Hospital Laboratory Department has opened for lab tests after the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) decided to call off their strike action.
A visit to the hospital by the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday showed that several clients had lined up awaiting in turns to go through their laboratory tests whiles others had collected their test results for further medical action.
Everything seemed normal in the Out-Patient Department as health workers spotted in green, white or pink dresses going about their various duties with the majority attending to patients.
A 50-year-old patient who spoke with GNA at the Laboratory area indicated that she delayed visiting the hospital due to the strike action of the laboratory workers and had to come, a day after the strike was called off.
Members of the GAMLS across the country laid down their tools following the declaration of a nationwide strike by their leadership in solidarity with its members at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The strike was in protest against the posting of two Laboratory Physicians to the Hospital’s Laboratory Services Department which the laboratory scientists said was an attempt by hospital management to “colonize” them.
However, the strike action was discontinued on Tuesday, following a stakeholders’ meeting called at the instance of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, compelling the leadership of the group to agree in principle to resume work.
Dr Arko Akoto-Ampaw, Medical Director of Eastern Regional Hospital, told GNA that management was happy with the latest development.
“We met the leadership of the Hospital’s Chapter of GAMLS yesterday and the decision on the laboratory unit to fully operate today has been fulfilled,” he said.
GNA