The Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union (MELPWU) has issued a stern two-week ultimatum to the government, demanding immediate financial clearance for the employment of over 3,000 qualified professionals. Failure to act, the union warns, could spark widespread industrial action within the health sector.
In an interview with 3news, General Secretary Dr. Cephas Akortor expressed deep frustration over the government’s continued inaction. According to him, since 2018, successive efforts by the union to engage with the Ministries of Health, Finance, and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission have yielded no results, leaving thousands of medical laboratory scientists in limbo.
To cope with growing shortages in personnel, public hospitals have resorted to employing casual workers at just GH¢700 per month, further straining the system. Dr. Akortor also highlighted that the crisis extends beyond his union, with over 30,000 allied health professionals nationwide still waiting for government postings.
“There is serious agitations now they have lost hope in us. In fact the insults we receive daily, so as we speak the unemployed group are mobilizing and even the colleagues that have been employed now are also complaining of workload, so there is tension. People are calling for agitations but as leaders we are trying our best but if our best is not meeting their hopes then you can imagine what will happen,” he said.
The General Secretary warned that the leadership cannot contain the growing unrest for much longer.
“In the coming days, we cannot guarantee next line of action as leaders because we think is long overdue and people are awaiting for financial clearance to be given and if nothing is done within the immediate period we are not to be blamed,” Mr. Akortor cautioned.
He also raised grave concerns about unsafe working conditions caused by understaffing, citing a tragic incident involving a medical laboratory professional who died while on solo night duty.
“It is not appropriate for a professional to be on duty alone because whilst you are there any emergency may happen, and you may need the help of a colleague. There was a situation where someone was on a night duty alone and she passed on whatever happened in the laboratory before she died only God knows. The next day her colleagues came to find her in the lab. So we feel that the situation is that serious and the employer should prioritize it,” he pleaded.
Mr. Akortor further criticized the current practice of placing many staff on Internally Generated Funds (IGF), which denies them basic benefits like fair wages, pensions, and promotions.
“As we speak, across the country we have seven hundred staff who are on Internally Generated Funds. These people who are on IGF are given salaries far below, their pensions are not catered for, and they are not promoted. Even when there is increment, they don’t get it. This year for example we have ten percent they are not going to benefit,” he said.
“Every six months management continue to renew their contract with them and see this to be the government or employer taking advantage of our people, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Ministry of Health have not said anything,” Mr. Akortor lamented.
With rising discontent across the union and the health sector at large, MELPWU is urging swift government intervention to avoid a breakdown in essential health services.
