MELPWU issues ultimatum over Korle Bu laboratory leadership dispute
The Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union (MELPWU) has intensified pressure on health authorities over the ongoing leadership dispute at the Central Medical Laboratory of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), demanding the immediate reinstatement of Dr Michael Amo Omari as Head of Laboratory Services at the Sub-BMC unit.
The union also called for disciplinary action against Dr Asare Offei over what it alleged were “reckless and disparaging” public comments concerning laboratory results generated by the Central Laboratory.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Dr Cephas Kofi Akortor, MELPWU accused Dr Offei of undermining professional credibility, public confidence and the integrity of laboratory services without issuing any retraction or apology.
The statement followed communication from the Ministry of Health announcing the postponement of a previously scheduled stakeholder review meeting to allow a Technical Review Committee to complete its work and submit a final report by May 18, 2026.
MELPWU proposed that the next stakeholder meeting be reconvened on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, after the committee concludes its work.
While acknowledging the Ministry’s intervention, the union expressed concern over what it described as prolonged uncertainty surrounding leadership and administrative arrangements within the Central Medical Laboratory.
The union warned that the impasse could negatively affect patient care, staff morale, quality laboratory service delivery and professional governance at Ghana’s premier referral hospital.
According to MELPWU, its demands remain “unequivocal and non-negotiable”.
The union called for the immediate reversal of what it termed “unapproved and irregular alterations” to the established leadership structure, administrative hierarchy, organogram and reporting lines governing medical laboratory services at KBTH.
It further demanded the termination of the current interim administrative arrangement, insisting that its mandate expired on May 12, 2026.
The statement argued that any extension of the interim arrangement posed a serious threat to accreditation standards, quality management systems, technical supervision, operational efficiency and institutional stability within the laboratory service.
MELPWU stressed that the issues at stake were neither personal nor political but centred on professional and administrative concerns affecting laboratory practice and healthcare delivery.
“Our concerns have consistently centred on respect for due process and institutional fairness; protection of professional integrity and established administrative structures; the need for clarity and transparency in decisions affecting Medical Laboratory Services; the long-standing need for appropriate recognition and placement of Medical Laboratory professionals in healthcare leadership and governance systems; and the preservation of industrial harmony within the health sector,” the statement said.
The union also rejected claims that medical laboratory scientists had obstructed physicians from accessing laboratory services or threatened medical doctors during the dispute.
“Medical Laboratory Scientists at KBTH have not denied Physicians access to the laboratory,” the statement said.
“There have been no threats, intimidation, or acts of physical obstruction against any Physician,” it added.
MELPWU further maintained that medical laboratory scientists continued to collaborate professionally with doctors in patient care, research and training activities.
The union reiterated that Medical Laboratory Science is a regulated profession under the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857), with defined professional scope, licensing standards and accountability systems.
While commending the Ministry of Health and the National Labour Commission for facilitating dialogue, the union criticised the continued existence of the interim leadership arrangement beyond its stated mandate.
MELPWU also accused some physicians of making misleading public comments and attempting to trivialise the concerns of medical laboratory professionals.
“While we respect the right to differing opinions, we urge all parties and commentators to exercise restraint, avoid inflammatory commentary, and allow the established institutional mechanisms to function without unnecessary public distortion of facts or intimidation,” the statement noted.
The union assured members and the public that it would continue to pursue the matter through lawful and professional means while protecting the autonomy and future of medical laboratory services in Ghana.
“We further call on all members to remain calm, professional, vigilant, and united while leadership continues engagements with the relevant stakeholders,” the statement added.
