A major healthcare disruption is looming at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as medical laboratory professionals have begun a phased industrial action, with a complete shutdown of laboratory services scheduled to take effect next week.
The Korle Bu chapter of the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union (MELPWU) on Wednesday, 4 February 2026, commenced what it describes as a “sit-down strike” across all hospital laboratories, immediately scaling back services and limiting patient access to critical diagnostic tests.
The first phase of the action, which runs until Sunday, 8 February, has already led to a drastic reduction in laboratory operations, with thousands of outpatients expected to be affected.
In a strike notice signed by Chapter Chairman John Kofi Nakoja, union members have been directed to refuse all outpatient department (OPD) cases during this period. Only a skeleton staff has been assigned to handle emergency tests for existing in-patients.
The union further cautioned that samples requiring follow-up beyond 8 February will not be accepted, signaling a gradual wind-down of services ahead of a total shutdown.
For now, critical units such as the hospital’s Blood Bank and the laboratory at the Cardiothoracic Centre remain operational, but only to serve patients under intensive care.
However, the situation is expected to worsen significantly from Monday, 9 February, when the union begins the second phase of the strike — a complete withdrawal of all medical laboratory services across the hospital.
This phase will include the previously exempted Blood Bank and Cardiothoracic Centre laboratories, effectively crippling one of the hospital’s core diagnostic functions and threatening both emergency and routine care.
The union has also warned of a “possible escalation of the strike by the national union,” raising concerns that the action could spread beyond Korle Bu if unresolved.
The industrial action follows a statutory notice served on the Minister of Health, hospital management, and the National Labour Commission on 27 January.
Although the public notice did not spell out the specific grievances, such disputes typically involve conditions of service, allowances, or workplace concerns.
Healthcare observers warn the strike could severely disrupt clinical care at Ghana’s largest referral hospital, as laboratory services are central to diagnosis, treatment decisions, surgeries, and patient monitoring.
Without timely test results, non-emergency procedures may be postponed, treatments delayed, and patient outcomes potentially compromised.
Hospital management and government officials are yet to publicly comment on negotiations to resolve the impasse.
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