Medical Laboratory Scientists at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital have strongly opposed attempts by the Korle Bu Doctors Association (KODA) to assume leadership of the hospital’s Central Laboratory, describing the move as a threat to professional autonomy and established standards.                                                                 

The Scientists are also demanding a retraction and apology from KODA which claimed that over 50 per cent of lab results produced from the Central Lab are” inaccurate”, describing the assertion as “false and disparaging claims by the doctors.”

Members of KODA are currently on strike, demanding among other thing that the Central Lab should be headed by a Laboratory Physician, rather than a Laboratory Scientist.

Dr. Abdul Hakam Abubakar, Secretary of the Korle-Bu Chapter of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, addressing a press conference by the group today, the scientists maintained that the leadership of the Central Laboratory must remain within the domain of qualified laboratory professionals, given the highly technical and specialized nature of the role.

According to him, the Head of Laboratory Services requires expertise in medical laboratory science, including deep knowledge of ISO 15189 standards, biosafety protocols, diagnostic techniques, and quality assurance systems, competencies they say are not grounded in general medical practice.

He argued that handing over leadership to a body regulated by the Medical and Dental Council, which does not oversee the education, licensing, or professional conduct of medical laboratory scientists, would undermine the integrity and independence of the profession.

“The attempt to transfer leadership outside the profession violates the principles of professional autonomy and disregards the specialized competencies required to run a modern medical laboratory,” the group stated.

The scientists also reminded stakeholders that similar disputes over laboratory leadership in 2018 and 2024 resulted in industrial actions and required intervention by the National Labour Commission and the Ministry of Health. They expressed concern that the issue is being revisited despite earlier resolutions.

Relating to the quality of lab results, Dr. Abubakar maintained that the Central Laboratory at is internationally accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation in line with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 15189) standards, and continues to deliver reliable and high-quality diagnostic services.

“The assertion by Dr. Asare Offei, Chairman of Korle Bu Doctors Association, that majority of laboratory results are compromised and unreliable is false and disparaging and must be treated with all the disdain it deserves. 

“We must state that the assertion by KODA that over half of laboratory requests are directed by the doctors to private labs is not due to deteriorating laboratory results, but rather, due to personal benefits they gain from private laboratories in the name of tips, commissions and discounts,” he stated.

He stressed that accuracy in laboratory testing is ensured through established scientific systems and quality control procedures, not by administrative control or the professional title of a supervising authority.

The Laboratory Scientists have given KODA up to Friday May 8 to retract and apologise for the false assertions against the Central Lab, failure to which they would resort to a series of actions.