OUR HEALTH AND MEDiCAL SYSTEMS NEED NO ReTROGRESSION!!

Going over some medical laboratory history and realized that the independence of Medical Laboratory Professionals has been fought against time and number. It is clear to me that the antiquated mindset of healthcare delivery is still within the health industry. The focus of improvement has never been for patient benefit but superpowers of professional niches.
The retrogression must stop. When I listen to the audio tape of the interview of Dr Ankobea, president of Ghana Medical Association, then I get the confirmation that the 1962 thinking is very much at play. We need deliverance from the professional greed engulfing us.

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The History courtesy Jacob Akuetteh Armah
In May, 1989, the AGMLS wrote a memorandum to the Ministry of Health for the creation of new posts in the establishment of the Health Laboratory Services. Following several discussions on the request and a study on the application for the creation of new posts, the Management Services Division of the Civil Service advised the Member Secretary of Committee of Secretaries and Head of Civil Service to give approval for the application. By a letter dated 14th September, 1990 with Ref. No. A. 34/Vol 11/80 approval was given for the creation of Director and Deputy Directors of Medical Laboratory Services in the establishment of Health Laboratory Services.
On 24th October, 1990, a photocopy of the approval letter and its attachments concerning the proposed new Establishment and the scheme of service for the division’s “laboratory personnel” was minuted to the Head of HLS, for his attention and the information of the staff concerned.
On 8th March, 1991, a meeting of Technical personnel of the Ministry of Health and Doctors in laboratory medicine (who were not happy with the new creation) was, however, called by the Secretary for Health to discuss problems arising from the approval for the creation of new posts in the establishment of Health Laboratory Services making a Technologist the Head of the Health Laboratory Services under the new name of Director, Medical Laboratory Services. The Doctors made it clear to the Secretary for Health that the approval could not be implemented. Dr. Cecilia Bentsi, the then Head of the HLS had to leave her office following strike by the AGMLS with the support of students of the SMLT to see to the implementation of the approval for the creation of Director, Medical Laboratory Services.
The West African College of Physicians’ Faculty of Laboratory Medicine also met on the issue on 19th March, 1991 and sent a memorandum to the P.N.D.C. Secretary for Health quoting some portions of the WHO Technical Report Series No. 236 (page 25) to back their demand for the Health Laboratory Services to be headed by a medically qualified person with specialized training in laboratory work. The signatories to the memorandum included Dr. J. K. Acquaye, Chairman, and Prof. S. N. Afoakwa, Dr. E. C. Marbell, Dr. Cecilia Bentsi and Dr. Mercy Newman.
On 6th April, 1992, the Director of Medical Services, Dr. M. E. K. Adibo, wrote a letter on behalf of the PNDC Secretary for Health requesting the Member/Secretary of Committee of Secretaries and Head of the Civil Service to withdraw the approval for the creation of new posts in the establishment of the Health Laboratory Services Division of the Ministry of Health