The Korle-Bu Doctors Association has announced a potential industrial strike at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, set to begin on May 2, if their demands regarding laboratory operations and proposed reforms to outpatient services are not addressed by the end of Thursday, April 30, 2026.
In a formal notice, the Association stated that its members will withdraw their services if management does not promptly respond to what they call “serious threats” to patient safety and professional standards. This includes the exclusion of Laboratory Physicians from the hospital’s Central Laboratory and the proposed implementation of 24-hour specialist outpatient services.
Regarding the Central Laboratory issue, the KODA has accused members of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of unlawfully restricting access to the facility and attempting to control who is allowed to work there. The Association has deemed this situation unacceptable, citing reports that Laboratory Physicians have been barred from working and, in some cases, have faced threats.
KODA has called for the prompt reinstatement of all Laboratory Physicians and trainee doctors to the Central Laboratory by April 30. It insists that the leadership of laboratory departments should be determined solely by professional merit and institutional criteria, without influence from unions or associations. Additionally, KODA requests that all specialized laboratory results be reviewed and validated by qualified Laboratory Physicians before they are released. They also seek unrestricted access to laboratory systems and equipment for both clinical and academic work.
Additionally, the Association is calling for a full investigation into alleged threats against its members, urging management to take disciplinary and protective measures where necessary to safeguard staff and maintain operational integrity. On policy, KODA strongly opposed the proposed implementation of 24-hour specialist outpatient services, arguing that the hospital already operates a 24-hour outpatient facility through the Korle-Bu Polyclinic.
It maintained that extending similar services across all departments without clear policy, staffing, and funding frameworks risks overstretching existing personnel and compromising patient care. “KODA draws Management’s attention to the fact that the 24-Hour Economy Policy of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, which appears to inform this directive, contemplates the engagement of additional personnel to cover afternoon and night shifts, not the extension of existing working hours for the same employees.
“The current implementation framework does not appear to reflect this distinction,” the statement added. The association again requested the withdrawal of the 24-hour OPD directive, pending the development of a comprehensive policy document and broader consultation with clinical departments. It further urged management to prioritise improving efficiency within existing outpatient services as a more immediate intervention.
They warned that failure to meet these conditions by the stated deadline will trigger a full withdrawal of services from May 2, a move it says is intended to protect patient safety, uphold professional standards, and preserve the long-term functionality of the hospital.
Source: Patricia Boakye
