In a call to action, the Board Chairman of the Society of Medical Laboratory Managers – Ghana (SMLM-G), Dr. David Sackey has demanded the urgent restructuring of Ghana’s healthcare leadership architecture to give medical laboratory managers their rightful place at the top.
Speaking at the opening of the Society’s 4th Annual General Meeting held in Ho, Dr. Sackey declared that the time had come to stop sidelining laboratory professionals in health sector decision-making and called for their inclusion at core management levels in hospitals, policy institutions, and national health planning teams.
“This profession has served Ghana for over five decades. Yet, we are still treated as background players. That era must end. The laboratory manager must be at the decision table, not in the waiting room,” Dr. Sackey asserted to thunderous applause.
He pointed out that while the clinical teams in hospitals include nurses, midwives, doctors, and pharmacists, laboratory scientists, who generate over 70% of critical diagnostic data, are often conspicuously absent from strategic leadership and operational decisions. The consequences, he said, are damaging and far-reaching.
“Our absence in management has led to delayed procurement of lab consumables, broken equipment gathering dust, and unnecessary risks to patients. We cannot claim to have a functioning health system while ignoring the backbone of medical diagnosis,” he stated.
A Profession Transformed, Yet Underrepresented
Dr. Sackey took pride in the transformation of the laboratory profession over the years. No longer limited to bench technicians, he said the field now boasts Doctors of Medical Laboratory Science, specialists, and over 100 consultants with leadership capacity to head institutions and shape health outcomes.
“We have moved beyond diploma and BSc holders. We now train consultants and experts who are managing laboratories with the same level of precision and competence expected of any health leader,” he said.
“And yet, policy continues to overlook us.”
Persistent Challenges, Silent Crisis
He did not shy away from listing longstanding grievances that continue to hamper progress in the sector, including:
The absence of a Medical Laboratory Council;
Inconsistent support from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS);
The unemployment of highly trained graduates;
Delayed appointments of Directors in allied health sectors;
And poor training structures, especially in teaching hospitals.
Dr. Sackey described these issues as a “silent crisis” threatening the future of diagnostic medicine in Ghana.
The Call for a National Reset
In what appeared to be both a critique and a rallying cry, he said:
“If I had my way, I would restructure the entire health governance framework to institutionalize the role of the medical laboratory manager at every level of decision-making.”
He emphasized that the AGM was not just a gathering of professionals but a strategic moment to brainstorm, advocate, and demand change.
“We are no longer asking politely. We are stating clearly: laboratory managers must be part of the core management of health facilities, from district hospitals to teaching hospitals to national bodies.”
He concluded by urging participants to fully engage with the theme and trust the keynote and guest speakers to further reinforce the call for inclusion, recognition, and reform.
Source: Ivy Priscilla Setordjie
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