…. services to be withdrawn completely from Monday if demands are not met
Patients seeking laboratory services at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital are set to face severe disruptions from tomorrow, Wednesday, 4 February, after the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union (MELPWU) officially declared a phased industrial action.
In a letter addressed to the Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer and copied to the Ministry of Health and the National Labour Commission, the Union has directed its members to commence a five-day sit-down strike from 4th to 8th February 2026.
According to the notice signed by the Chapter Chairman, John Kofi Nakoja, the first phase will see a near-total halt of outpatient laboratory services.
- No OPD cases will be handled.
- Only skeletal staff will be nominated to handle emergency cases for in-patients only.
- Samples requiring follow-up beyond 8th February will not be accepted.
- Exceptions have been made for the Blood Bank and the Cardiothoracic Centre, which will continue to operate normally for clients under intensive care.
The union warned that if its demands remain unmet, a total withdrawal of all medical laboratory services will begin on Monday, 9th February 2026. This will include the currently exempted Blood Bank and Cardiothoracic Centre services, with a possible escalation led by the national union.
The strike follows a statutory notice of intended industrial action served on the Minister of Health, Korle Bu Management, and the National Labour Commission on 27th January 2026.
The action is expected to cripple diagnostic services at Ghana’s premier referral hospital, delaying critical test results for thousands of patients. Outpatients will be the hardest hit, forced to seek alternative, often more expensive, private laboratory services or face indefinite delays in treatment.
Hospital management has yet to issue an official statement on contingency plans. Sources within the administration indicate emergency meetings were held late Monday in a bid to avert the strike.
When contacted, Chapter Chairman John Kofi Nakoja stated that the Union had “exhausted all avenues for dialogue” and that the strike was a “last resort.” While the specific grievances were not detailed in the notice, sources familiar with the matter cite unresolved conditions of service, delays in promotion, and inadequate tools and equipment as key issues.
“Members are to remain disciplined and strictly comply with these directives,” the notice concluded, adding that further instructions would be communicated through Union structures.
The planned escalation to a total shutdown next week signals a deepening crisis and raises the stakes for the National Labour Commission, which is now legally mandated to intervene. A full strike at Korle Bu would place immense strain on Ghana’s entire health system, with ripple effects across the Greater Accra region and beyond.
