FIRE4FIRE: GAMLS BOMBS GMA

WAHALA: GAMLS, GMA FIGHT

The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) is unhappy over the statement by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) asking Government, Ministry of Health and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to reject the plea of the grievances of their KATH's branch of the association.

GAMLS is however is in support of its Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) chapter’s decision to embark on a one-week sit-down strike.

They are protesting over the failure of KATH's management to reassign two specialists who were posted to the department two years ago.

GMA in response to this development warned that it will be forced to take action if the management of the hospital and the Ministry of Health give in to the demands of laboratory scientists.

The Medical Association argued that the lab scientists do not have the prerogative to decide who should be assigned any responsibility or where staff are to be posted to, hence cannot insist that the two medical specialists should be moved from the LSD and the Haematology Unit.

Reacting to GMA’s comments in a statement, the GAMLS KATH's Chapter Chairman, Dr. Ernest Badu Boateng stressed that it is an autonomous body and will not accept any form of control.

“As a professional body we have made our position clear, and have consistently emphasized the autonomy of our profession from any form of control from whatever source. The headship and the professional leadership of medical laboratory professionals cannot be compromised in any way. The leadership of medical laboratory science in Ghana is a sole responsibility of medical laboratory scientists. Physicians in Ghana report to and are led by physicians. Why would the GMA think medical laboratory scientists should not be led by medical laboratory scientists?” Dr. Badu Boateng told Nana K. Ampratwum on Silver Omanbapa Morning Show.

It accused GMA and the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS) of plotting to micro-manage the medical laboratories even to the district level.