The Medical Laboratory Workers Union has expressed disappointment with the Korle Bu Doctors Association (KODA), accusing some of making misleading and reckless comments about the laboratory professionals.
It is demanding from the doctors, an immediate retraction and apology, amid the escalating standoff at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
KODA has alleged, according to the Union, that results from the Central Laboratory are not fully reliable, leading them in some cases to refer patients to private facilities, one of the reasons they are demanding full access to the laboratory.
But the Medical Laboratory Workers Union says the claims are false and thus undermine public confidence in laboratory services and undermines the critical role of medical laboratory scientists in patient care.
General Secretary of the Union, Dr. Cephas Akortor, speaking on Citi FM Monday, May 4, 2026, insisted that laboratory investigations at Korle Bu remain reliable and are central to clinical decision-making.
Dr. Akortor argued that the ongoing dispute is not about access to laboratory data, but rather an attempt by the doctors to assume control of laboratory operations, an assertion the Union strongly rejects.
He disclosed that the doctors already have full access to laboratory results through the hospital’s electronic systems.
“When people want something, and they don’t get it, they find funny ways to get it. They think they can go around to discredit laboratory professionals just to make us look bad. We all know that in this country, doctors are not trained to do testing. Doctors are trained to be in the consulting room attending to patients,” he said.
He described comments from the doctors as “misleading and reckless,” insisting they warrant a retraction and apology.
“The comments by the Korle Bu Doctors Association are very misleading and reckless, and I think they deserve to give an apology. I stand here as the General Secretary of the Medical Laboratory Workers Union to demand an immediate retraction of that statement and an apology to the entire Ghanaian population,” he added.
The brouhaha comes amid tensions at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital that has triggered an industrial action, with the doctors withdrawing all Out-Patient Department (OPD) services from Monday, May 4, 2026.
The KODA says the decision comes after unresolved disagreements involving laboratory professionals at the hospital’s Central Laboratory, which it claims are affecting clinical work and patient safety.
The doctors have warned that a possible escalation could lead to the suspension of in-patient services if concerns are not addressed. It is also calling for unrestricted access to laboratory systems and the mandatory validation of specialised test results by Laboratory Physicians before release.
Korle Bu doctors strike over patients’ safety; withdraws all OPD services
