Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, Chairman of the Parliament Health Committee has appealed with the striking laboratory technicians across the country to return to work.
Speaking during a discussion, he appealed to them to return whiles they find a solution to the issue as they have been scheduled to meet on Tuesday June 1, 2021.
“We have had times that other committees in Parliament have solved some of these policy making issues. So, we are the best friends for them to have consulted. We only came in based on the feedback we got from the constituents and we didn’t think that lives should be lost at this point in time.
“So, as very good friends of the Parliamentary health committee, we ask them to go back so that we can be able to get their petition and bring the sides together on Tuesday and then see what else we have to do.”
Dr. Afriyie
He indicated that, officially the committee has not had any submission or petition. He explained that the press conference his outfit held was to speak on the issue to help find solutions.
Dr. Afriyie also disclosed that he is hopeful a middle ground will be reached regarding the issue at hand.
“The joint press conference that was held by the majority and the minority, that’s by the chairman and the ranking on the committee was as a result of the feedbacks MPs are getting in their constituents and for that matter as the people’s representatives, we needed to speak on the issue.”
Dr. Afriyie
Strike is still ongoing
Also commenting on the issue, Dr. Dennis Adu Gyasi, the PRO for the Medical and laboratory scientists confirmed that the strike is ongoing. He said they were not going contrary to the National Labor Commission’s directive because it was only directed to technicians at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
“As far as I know and my monitoring now is that the lab scientists at the various regions are still on strike in spite of the directive by the National Labor Commission. I don’t have any communique from the NLC in that regard. What I know is that they directed it to KATH.”
Dr. Gyasi
He further clarified that the main issue for the strike has to do with a problem of organizational structure and not laboratory space as being purported by some people.
“The two physicians are part of the staff and not part of the medical doctors. That’s what the staff is talking about and we keep confusing it and try to throw dust into the eyes of the public.”
Dr. Gyasi
Dr. Justice Yankson, the General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), averred that the Association of Laboratory Technicians were not being truthful. This, he explained is due to different reasons they have given since the issue began. work
He also stated that the two laboratory physicians have the right to work in the space they have been given; and should be given the freedom and space to do so.
