By Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy
The Korle-Bu Doctors Association (KODA) has served notice of an imminent industrial action, threatening to withdraw services from May 2, 2026, unless management redresses grievances surrounding laboratory operations and a contentious proposal to extend specialist outpatient services to a 24-hour model.
In a strongly worded communiqué, KODA declared that its members will down tools if hospital authorities fail to resolve what it termed “serious threats” to patient safety and professional standards by close of business on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
At the heart of the impasse is the alleged exclusion of Laboratory Physicians from the hospital’s Central Laboratory. KODA accused members of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of “unlawfully restricting access to the facility and attempting to determine who is permitted to practise there.”
The Association described the situation as “unacceptable,” citing reports that Laboratory Physicians have “been prevented from working and, in some cases, threatened.”
KODA is demanding the “swift reinstatement of all Laboratory Physicians and trainee doctors into the Central Laboratory by April 30.”
It further insists that “leadership of laboratory departments must be based strictly on professional merit and institutional criteria, free from pressure by unions or associations.”
The doctors are also calling for all specialized laboratory results to be “reviewed and validated by qualified Laboratory Physicians before release,” with “unrestricted access to laboratory systems and equipment for clinical and academic work.”
Additionally, the Association has demanded “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.”
KODA also mounted vigorous opposition to the proposed implementation of 24-hour specialist outpatient services. The Association contends that “the hospital already operates a 24-hour outpatient facility through the Korle-Bu Polyclinic.”
It argued that replicating 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 statement noted.
“The current implementation framework does not appear to reflect this distinction,” the statement added.
The Association has 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.”
KODA warned that “failure to meet these conditions by the stated deadline will trigger a full withdrawal of services from May 2,” a measure it says is “intended to protect patient safety, uphold professional standards, and preserve the long-term functionality of the hospital.”