The Society of Medical Laboratory Managers, Ghana (SMLM-G) has dismissed allegations of incompetence levelled against Laboratory Scientists at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

The Society in a statement released on Tuesday, May 25, described the claims as "false, unfounded, baseless, and lack merit."

"Without prejudice, we hope to iterate that, allegations leveled against our laboratory managers
with respect to their alleged incompetencies and inability to manage the hematology unit and
department at KATH are false, unfounded, baseless, and lack merit.

This follows a protest by angry Laboratory Scientists at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital over a decision by the hospital’s management to post two medical officers, Lesley Osei and Eunice Agyemang Ahmed, to the Laboratory Services Directorate to fill vacancies there.

The two have been appointed as Clinical Haematologists at the Laboratory Services Directorate at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The protestors argue that members of the Association who qualify for the vacant positions have been sidelined.

Subsequently, the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union (MELPWU), said the Union will not stand aloof for the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to use Management’s prerogative to appoint one of their own to head the Laboratories.

According to the group, the Union will not in any way “condone such an unfair labour practice.”

Reacting to these developments, the Society of Medical Laboratory Managers, Ghana expressed disappointment at how the Management of KATH has responded to the matter.

"We by this response, express our disappointment at how the management of KATH sought to enforce illegality in medical professional practice that affects the ordinary Ghanaian whose disease condition deserves diagnosing and interpretation by trained, competent, skilled, and licensed medical laboratory scientists at the hematology laboratory unit of KATH.

They add that the move is an "intentional misrepresentation to give the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS) a chance to force Medical Officers (Laboratory Physicianss) as heads of unit/department when they needed accreditation to run laboratory physician program in 2013.

"We have evidence to support our claim of their (LPs) incompetence as recounted by our laboratory scientists because at some point of their training, they sought practical training from the laboratory scientists at hematology unit of KATH, who have acquired higher qualifications in Hematology (Ph.D., Mphil and Fellows).

"Their composure made it clear at the very first time they were reassigned to the Haematology unit that, indeed, they could not work without supervision."

SMLM-G also raised concern over pertinent issues that affect service delivery, stating "lack of representation at all levels of management, lack of investment into medical laboratory services due to lack of political will over the years, lack of a well-structured organogram of laboratory services and other key interventions as captured in the National Laboratory Health Policy," are all concerns that critically need to be addressed.

They further called on all stakeholders to immediately look into the matter and ensure only services that uphold excellence in medical laboratory services are permitted.

"As managers in both public and private medical laboratories in Ghana, we categorically state that our managers are capable of discharging their duties and will welcome professional discussions with medical officers working as a team for the purpose of patient care and safety."