The Korle Bu Doctors Association (KODA) has officially announced the suspension of its industrial action, barely 18 hours after it commenced.

The strike, which began on the morning of Monday, 4 May 2026, had threatened to paralyse healthcare delivery at the nation’s premier teaching hospital.

However, a swift emergency meeting between the association’s leadership and the hospital management led to an agreement aimed at resolving the friction within the hospital’s laboratory services.

The suspension follows specific guarantees provided by the Korle Bu management to address the core grievances of the doctors. Key among these is the commitment to ensure that laboratory physicians can return to their designated places of work without hindrance.

In a formal notice addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), KODA leadership emphasised that the decision was rooted in the need for a functional and harmonious working environment.

“We believe the peaceful coexistence of Laboratory Physicians and Medical Laboratory Scientists at the Central Laboratory is best for quality healthcare delivery,” the statement signed by KODA Chairman Dr Asare Offei noted.

With the industrial action now on hold, the association has instructed all members to return to their posts. This development will come as a major relief to hundreds of patients whose appointments were disrupted by the morning’s walkout.

The directive specifically calls for the resumption of outpatient services starting from Tuesday, 5 May 2026.

While services are set to normalise, the situation at the Central Laboratory remains a point of focus for the medical community. The dispute, which centres on professional boundaries and workspace between physicians and laboratory scientists, has been a long-standing issue within the Ghanaian health sector.

The Korle Bu management is expected to monitor the two groups closely to prevent any further escalation that could lead to a resumption of the strike.