Patients, who went to the Korle-Bu Teach Hospital yesterday for their medical laboratory results, were turned away, because the staff of the Central Laboratory were on strike.
The over 100 patients including pregnant women, nursing mothers and the aged, angered by the workers action demanded the specimen of the blood and urine they submitted for the lab tests as well as refund of cash they paid ahead of the tests.
Many who claimed to have travelled from Volta, Eastern, Central, Brong-Ahafo and Western Regions for the tests, were visibly disappointed with the strike by the Bio-medical scientists prompted by their demand for representation on the management of the hospital.
The patients, alleged paying between GH�14 and GH�140 for the laboratory tests and asked to return yesterday for their results only to be told that the Central Laboratory staff were on strike. �It is amazing for patients to be treated like this. How can a patient be held responsible for a management problem?� Kojo Akotey, a patient remarked.
Another patient, Emmanuel Addo, said he arrived at the hospital by 7am and spent more than five hours without getting his result. �If you will not give us our results, then give us our money, urine and blood sample,� he said. Stephen Kottoh, also a patient, said he travelled all the way from Sogakope for the test only to read a notice that the staff of the Central Laboratory were on strike.
Kennedy Bentum, Principal Bio-medical Scientist, explained that the strike action was to compel the hospital management to give them recognition.
He said the Central Laboratory staff had for the past five years complained about their non-representation in management but management had failed to address their concerns. Mr Bentum mentioned issues of salary disparities, human resource development and the lack of improved facilities as some of the challenges facing the Central Laboratory staff. �We want our representatives in the management of the hospital to talk on our behalf,� he said. Professor Nii Out Nartey, the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, said management would address the concerns of the strikers but decline further comment.
The chairman of the Board of Directors of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Professor Seth Aryeetey, appealed to the workers to end the strike while management addressed their concerns.
Meanwhile, a meeting between the management and the leadership of the striking workers to discuss the issues was inconclusive as at press time yesterday Tuesday 8, December 2009.
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