Medical Laboratory Science Professionals in Ghana meet on Wednesday, 13th October, 2021 to Saturday, 16th October, 2021 at the Pastures Desert Fountain Gate Chapel, Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, Ghana.
The 2021 Annual National Congress is on the theme: “Standardizing Medical Laboratory Science Practice in Ghana to Better Position the Country in the midst of infectious Diseases”.
The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed gaps in our healthcare sector and particularly medical laboratories in Ghana. Due to this, most African countries including Ghana have struggled to test their respective citizens at the early stages of the pandemic.
The need for continual improvement in the health sector cannot be over emphasized. Governments over the years have not been able to meet the requirements of the Abuja Declaration which required a minimum of 15 percent of domestic budgetary allocation to healthcare.
This congress will afford the professionals the chance to review their practice over the past year and deliberate on government projects and programmes that affect the Medical Laboratory Science Professionals in Ghana.
A survey conducted by our outfit has pointed out that Medical Laboratory Science Professionals will be keenly discussing issues bothering on conditions of service of professionals, both in the private and public health facilities. It must be noted that Medical Laboratory Science Professionals are among the professionals with poor conditions of service over the years. This has resulted in many industrial actions without any concrete resolution from the employers.
Professionals have pointed to the fact that government has implemented some conditions of services for some health professionals leaving other groups which is a source of apathy and demotivating for some healthcare workers. Even though medical laboratories are vital, little attention has been placed on the diagnostic services in Africa. A study by the World Bank Group in 2014 has called for the needed attention to be paid to diagnostic services in order to improve upon the quality of care in health facilities.
Speaking ahead of the congress, the General Secretary of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, Mr. Solomon Dzidzornu Kwashie is optimistic that the meeting will update professionals on the current and future trends regarding the practice of Medical Laboratory Science. According to him, the practice in Ghana has improved over the years even though, there still remains challenges that must be addressed by practitioners and other stakeholders. He encouraged professionals to prepare ahead of the congress and attend in their numbers as discussions of the congress will determine the future path of the profession in Ghana. He also urged professionals to take off some time from their laboratories and see the rich tourist sites in the Upper East Region.
Source:rymcitigh.com
Be the first to comment