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By Efua Nessa
The Korle-Bu Doctors Association (KODA) has issued a warning of an industrial strike at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, set to begin on May 2, unless their demands regarding laboratory operations and proposed outpatient service reforms are addressed by the close of Thursday, April 30, 2026.
In an official notice, the Association stated that its members will withdraw services if management fails to address what they describe as serious threats to patient safety and professional standards. These include the exclusion of Laboratory Physicians from the hospital’s Central Laboratory and concerns over the proposed rollout of 24-hour specialist outpatient services.
On the Central Laboratory issue, KODA 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 called the situation unacceptable, citing reports that Laboratory Physicians have been barred from working and, in some cases, threatened.
KODA is demanding the immediate reinstatement of all Laboratory Physicians and trainee doctors into the Central Laboratory by April 30. They also insist that leadership of laboratory departments should be based strictly on professional merit and institutional criteria, free from external pressures by unions or associations. Furthermore, the group is calling for all specialised laboratory results to be reviewed and validated by qualified Laboratory Physicians before being released, alongside unrestricted access to laboratory systems and equipment for clinical and academic purposes.
Additionally, the Association is calling for a full investigation into the alleged threats against its members, urging management to take disciplinary and protective measures to safeguard staff and maintain the hospital’s operational integrity.
On policy, KODA has strongly opposed the proposed implementation of 24-hour specialist outpatient services. The Association argues that the hospital already operates a 24-hour outpatient facility through the Korle-Bu Polyclinic and extending similar services across all departments without clear policies, staffing, and funding frameworks could overstretch existing personnel and compromise 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 influence this directive, calls for the engagement of additional personnel to cover afternoon and night shifts, not the extension of existing working hours for the same staff,” the statement explained. “The current implementation framework does not seem to reflect this distinction.”
The Association has again requested the withdrawal of the 24-hour OPD directive until a comprehensive policy document is developed, with broader consultations with clinical departments. KODA also urged management to focus on improving efficiency within existing outpatient services as a more immediate solution.
KODA has warned that failure to meet these conditions by the stated deadline will result in a full withdrawal of services from May 2, a move it says is necessary to protect patient safety, uphold professional standards, and preserve the long-term functionality of the hospital.