More than 1,000 Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) doctors have remained unemployed for the past six years, raising alarm over the potential implications for public health, diagnostic accuracy, and the overall efficiency of Ghana’s healthcare system.
According to the Concerned Doctors of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS.D), the prolonged unemployment is a result of systemic challenges, including delayed financial clearances for recruitment and inadequate investment in laboratory infrastructure across the country.
The group warns that the situation is not only affecting the welfare of qualified professionals but is also placing patients at risk due to understaffed laboratories and heavy workload on the few employed personnel.
Key concerns highlighted include:
* Continuous delays in financial clearance for recruitment
* Poor laboratory budget allocation across public health facilities
* Weak diagnostic capacity in hospitals and clinics.
The association called on the Minister of Health, the Minister of Finance, and the Office of the President to intervene urgently by approving financial clearance that will allow facilities to absorb qualified laboratory doctors into the system.
The MLS.D maintains that without swift action, Ghana risks compromising the accuracy of diagnosis, slowing disease detection, and weakening emergency response particularly in rural and peri-urban health centres.
