The government could have another strike on its hands as the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, has hinted of a protest against Government’s failure to constitute a board for the Allied Health Professionals Council.
“By the 30th of this month [November], if there is no clear direction on the establishment of the board for the Allied Health Professionals Council, we will take a certain decision. We will advise ourselves till the government is able to put in a board for us,” the president of the association, Dr. Ignatius Awinibuno, said to Citi News.
[contextly_sidebar id=”xyeyEvLBrtoidl9lagK52EULCkbTVYnC”]”Once there is no board, the public is at risk of quackery. The public is at risk of malpractice,” he warned.
The Allied Health Professions Council is established by an Act of Parliament (Act 857, 2013) to regulate the training and practice of Allied Health Professions in Ghana.
The mandate of the council, among other things, is to regulate the standard of services for the practice of Allied Health professions, monitor and inspect allied health facilities, advice the Health minister on matters relating to allied health practice among others.
As part of its mandate, the Council is also responsible for granting Professional Accreditation for all Allied Health Programmes.
Dr. Awinibuno also bemoaned the reluctance of the government in implementing the MOU on their representation at management levels.
“We want to send a clear message that nobody can adequately represent us in management unless we represent ourselves. Lab scientists are of age and we have the capacity to represent ourselves.”
“You go to our health facilities, you go to our regional directorates, you go to the national [level] and we are not represented in management so people take decisions concerning the lab when they know next to nothing about the lab,” Dr. Awinibuno added.
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By: Anita Arthur | Zoe Abu-Baidoo | citinewsroom.com | Ghana