HEALTHSOCIAL DEV'T NEWS

Patients at Atua Hospital Relieved as Medical Laboratory Scientists Suspend Strike

Members of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) have been asked by leadership to resume duties as their strike has been suspended.

A notice released late Friday said a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed earlier in the day between the Ministry of Health and the Association “on the three key issues that compelled us to lay down our working tools”.

It assured members that the roadmap to the implementation of the MOU will start on Monday.

The medical laboratory scientists withdrew their services on Monday, May 28, citing discrepancies in their salaries under the Single Spine Salary Structure.

Their strike hit hard on patients at various health facilities across the country including the Atua Government Hospital in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region who were unable to access health services following the strike.

Rite FM checks at the Atua Government Hospital indicated that the laboratory scientists did not show up for work, an action which did not leave only patients stranded and frustrated, but also the antenatal clinic unit of the hospital.

Head of the Antenatal Clinic, Mrs Hannah Dankwa in an interview with Rite FM’s Kodwo Boafo said the action affected turn out at the antenatal clinic and pleaded with the government to listen to her colleagues for them to call off the strike since their services were direly needed.

Some affected patients who said were not aware of the strike action threatened to take action against the government for failing to inform the public of the said strike.

“This is unfair, the government should have informed the public of the strike and we shall sue the government for failing to do this,” they said.

However, a pregnant woman who had come for her antenatal said she, “I will return the laboratory test request form to the midwife should the laboratory centre refuse to offer me their services.”

She however appealed to both laboratory scientists and the government to smoke the peace pipe to grant pregnant some relief.

She also expressed fear, in an interview with this reporter, of the implications of the strike action on her health, since she was asked to conduct the test to determine her blood level.

“I was told during my last visit to go and check my blood level because my last test indicated below average. I fear I may go through cesarean section and blood may be needed,” she dreaded.

However, the National Secretary of the Ghana Medical Laboratory Scientists Association, Michael Amo Omari, had defended their actions.

He said although they were sad to see women and old ladies suffering, the strike action was the only language government understood.

Source: Omanba Kodwo Boafo/ritefmonline.org

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