The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists is worried about the menace of quack medical laboratory scientists and the influx of private medical laboratory which are not up to standard.
According to the group, many people have died as a result of wrong diagnosis from quack laboratory scientist leading to wrong prescription.
The medical laboratory scientists are calling on government to as a matter of urgency to adopt and pass the necessary legislative instrument to deal with the menace if Ghana aims to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3.
At the 2017 annual national delegate congress and First national health laboratory summit held in Koforidua in the eastern region, president of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists Dr. Ignatius A. N. Awinibuno hinted that, the continuous neglect of the health laboratory services in the country will affect quality healthcare delivery in the country.
According to Dr. Ignatius Awinibuno, many laboratories in Ghana do not have qualified scientists as over 50% of lab scientists are not trained and are also operating with obsolete equipment whiles others don’t even have a microscope.
Dr. Ignatius Awinibuno, also noted that all government laboratories are not up to standard, with most of them not having reagents to run lab tests.
The GAMLS are calling for a nation lab account that will be a pull for monies generated in the lab can be used to retool the labs.
Deputy Minister of health, Kingsley Aboagye Gyadu hinted of government preparedness to equip the laboratories in Ghana and strengthen the health care system.
He said, the ministry will by the first quarter of 2018 implement the long awaited policy document on medical laboratory practice in the country to improve quality healthcare delivery in Ghana.
Over 50 % of medical lab scientists are quacks- GAMLS
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