The President of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, Dr Eric Kofi Aidoo, has raised concerns that a combination of inadequate laboratory equipment and rigid payment procedures in some hospitals is delaying critical diagnostic services during emergencies.

Dr Aidoo explained that many laboratory professionals operate under management directives that require proof of payment before tests are conducted, even in life-threatening situations.

“In some facilities, management directives say a patient must pay before tests are done,” he said on Asaase Radio's morning show.

“But in emergencies, we want to save lives first.”

According to him, staff who bypass these rules to assist critically ill patients risk disciplinary action or being suspected of financial misconduct.

“That puts professionals in a difficult position,” he said.

“We need clear national guidelines that protect staff who act in the patient’s best interest.”

Dr Aidoo added that payment barriers are compounded by chronic underfunding of laboratories, leaving many facilities without modern machines and essential tools.

“There are machines and tools we need to work effectively, but many facilities simply don’t have them,” he said.

He stressed that strong laboratory support is central to timely diagnosis and emergency care, urging government investment and private sector partnerships to strengthen the country’s diagnostic capacity.

“If you want better outcomes, you must equip the environment. Without the tools, even the best professionals cannot perform,” he added.