The Korle-Bu Doctors Association (KODA) has issued a formal notice to commence industrial action at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital from 2 May 2026.
This strike will proceed if management fails to address urgent concerns regarding laboratory operations and outpatient reforms by the close of Thursday, 30 April.
On the matter of the Central Laboratory dispute, KODA claims that Laboratory Physicians are being unlawfully excluded from the facility by members of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists.
The association is demanding the immediate reinstatement of all Laboratory Physicians and trainee doctors by the 30 April deadline.
They further insist that department leadership must be assigned based strictly on professional merit rather than union pressure, and that all specialised results must be validated by qualified Laboratory Physicians before release.
Additionally, KODA has called for a full investigation into alleged threats and harassment directed at its members within the laboratory.
Regarding hospital policy, the association strongly opposes the proposed rollout of 24-hour specialist outpatient services.
KODA argues that the hospital already provides round-the-clock care through the Korle-Bu Polyclinic and maintains that extending these hours across all departments without adequate staffing or funding will compromise patient safety.
“KODA draws Management’s attention to the fact that the 24-Hour Economy Policy of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, which appears to inform this directive, contemplates the engagement of additional personnel to cover afternoon and night shifts, not the extension of existing working hours for the same employees. The current implementation framework does not appear to reflect this distinction.”
To avoid a total withdrawal of services, KODA has requested the immediate withdrawal of the 24-hour OPD directive pending broader consultation and a focus on improving the efficiency of existing services.
They warn that the impending strike is a necessary measure intended to “protect patient safety, uphold professional standards, and preserve the long-term functionality of the hospital.”
