There appears to be no end in sight for the strike by laboratory scientists which has entered its fifth day on Friday, some say. 

A meeting scheduled on Friday at the Labour Commission between government representatives and the lab technicians has been called off due to lack of communication.

The aggrieved laboratory scientists say they were told the meeting was with the Health Minister's office, but when they got there they were informed the meeting was rather at the Labour Commission.

We will not be “ambushed” into a meeting at the Labour Commission, public relations officer for the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists Dennis Adu-Gyasi told Joy News’ Emefa Apawu.

He accused the sector Minister Kweku Agyemang Manu of showing little concern or desire to have the problem addressed.

The angry lab technicians withdrew their services early this week citing salary disparities.

According to them, the Single Spine Salary Structure, which was supposed to ensure equity in remuneration, has left them at a more disadvantageous position in comparison to other colleagues in the health sector.

After almost six years of agitation, the workers say they can no longer entertain the salary discrimination and have thus declared a strike.

Patients across the country are already bearing the brunt of the strike.

Joy News has been speaking to one of the patients diagnosed with a kidney disease but could not be attended to because of the strike.

She did not understand why the government is unable to resolve the grievances of the lab technicians.

While patients suffer in a desperate attempt to get their lab reports ready mostly from choked private labs, government and the striking lab technicians have been engaging in a drama of walkouts after botched negotiations.

A memorandum of understanding prepared after one of those meetings is yet to be signed by both parties with no promise of an early resolution.

“It is very sad the minister is not feeling the impact of the strike,” Dennis Adu-Gyasi said, and hoped there will be enough commitment by the government to solve the problem.