The Ministry of Health (MoH) has constituted a Technical Review Committee to address ongoing labour and operational concerns surrounding laboratory services at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).

The move follows a high-level meeting convened by the Chief Director of the Ministry on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, involving the management of KBTH, the Medical Laboratory Professionals Workers’ Union (MELPWU)-KBTH Chapter, and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Doctors Association (KODA).

According to an official communication signed by the Chief Director of the Ministry, Desmond Boateng, the committee has been tasked with facilitating “an amicable, objective, and sustainable resolution” to issues affecting the governance and operations of laboratory services at the premier referral facility.

The Ministry indicated that the committee would undertake a comprehensive technical and administrative review of matters relating to professional collaboration, operational coordination and management structures within the KBTH Laboratory Services system.

Committee Composition

The four-member committee will be chaired by Alhaji Dr (Pharm) Inua I. Yusuf, who serves as Head of Legal at the Ministry of Health.

Other members include:

• Zanu Dassah, Deputy Director, Human Resource Development (Training Unit), Ghana Health Service
• Isaac Maalma-Kaminta, Deputy Chief Labour Officer at the Labour Department under the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment
• John Kudjo Ntedado, who will serve as Secretary to the committee

The Ministry expressed confidence in the expertise and professionalism of the committee members, noting that the assignment was critical to restoring harmony and ensuring effective service delivery within the hospital’s laboratory units.

Background to the dispute

The establishment of the committee comes amid heightened tensions between laboratory professionals and other stakeholders over the administration and coordination of laboratory services at KBTH.

The concerns, which have triggered labour-related disagreements in recent weeks, are understood to centre on governance arrangements, professional roles, operational control and collaboration among healthcare professionals within the hospital’s laboratory ecosystem.

The intervention by the Ministry is seen as an attempt to prevent further escalation at the country’s largest teaching hospital, which plays a central role in tertiary healthcare delivery, specialist referrals, medical training and research in Ghana.

Stakeholder engagement expected

The committee has been directed to engage all relevant stakeholders as part of its review process and is expected to propose recommendations aimed at achieving long-term stability and improved coordination within the laboratory services structure.

Copies of the Ministry’s communication were forwarded to the Minister of Health, the Deputy Minister, the Director of Human Resource Development at the Ministry, the Chief Executive Officer of KBTH, the General Secretary of MELPWU, and the Chairman of KODA-KBTH.