Medical Laboratory Scientists have called off their strike action and will be returning to work this morning after meeting the Select Committee on Health of Parliament yesterday.
Leadership of the group announced this in Parliament yesterday after members of the Health Committee prevailed on them to abandon the strike as they continue to dialogue with Parliament to find an amicable solution to the impasse.
The Health Committee had insisted the group completely calls off the strike and not simple suspend and assured they are ready to find a solution that with will be a win-win for the feuding parties.
President of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, Dr. Abu Abudu Rahamani, who addressed the media in Parliament indicated that the group has contacted Parliament and laid down all their grievances before the Committee.
The House, through the Committee, he said, has given an assurance that they will take all the needed steps to address the situation.
“As a result of the meeting, discussions and interactions we have had with the Committee we are calling off the strike action and urging our members across the country to return to work.”
“We trust since Parliament has taken an interest in the matter and has received our petition they will take the needed action to address the impasse,” he said.
“So as at now the strike action as been called off but since this day is almost over, God willing tomorrow we expect all our members to report to their various laboratories to continue with their work,” he added.
Dr. Abu Abudu noted that members of the Medical Laboratory Scientists do not feel coerced by Parliament or the Committee because a decision was already taken at the national level to present the issue to the relevant body for redress.
He explained that besides that their grievance cannot be solved in a day but will go though a process.
He stressed that since their members have received an assurance the process has started with a clear guideline it is only prudent to abandon the strike for now.
He said the laboratory scientists will not wish to pile pressure on the Health Committee while they work to resolve the matter and therefore they will not issue timelines and ultimatums for the issues to be addressed.
He said, “This issue has dragged on for a very long time. This is the first time the Committee has been siezed with the issue so we want to give us a completely favourable outcome that will address this matter once and for all so that we will not return to it anytime in the near future.”
“So we will trust the Committee to work as quickly as possible. Though we have our internal timelines we will give Parliament unhindered space to resolve the issue,” he stated.
