We have suspended the strike for the good of the public – MELPWU General Secretary

The General Secretary of the Medical Laboratory Professionals Union (MELPWU) has acknowledged the difficulties faced by the public during their recent strike.

In an interview on JoyNews’ The investigating judge, Dr. Cephas Kofi Akortor, apologized to the public for the inconvenience caused.

Dr Akortor stressed that the union never intended for the situation to escalate to this extent, but explained that the inaction of the mandatory bodies had forced them to take such measures.

“I would like to sincerely apologize to the public. In fact, it is in their interest that we decided to suspend the strike,” he said on Sunday, June 23.

The Medical Laboratory Professionals Union (MELPWU) launched a strike on June 17, 2024, in response to the government’s continued delay in improving their working conditions.

This measure caused significant disruption to health care across the country. Patients in public health facilities were deprived of vital laboratory services, forcing many to seek more expensive alternatives in private facilities.

The strike was temporarily suspended following an emergency meeting on Thursday 20 June attended by representatives of the MELPWU, the Fair Wages Commission, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health. The aim of the meeting was to resolve the ongoing dispute.

Also read: NLC tells medical lab workers to call off strike

But Dr. Akortor explained that despite the possibility of a longer strike, the union decided to “give the strike a human face” and called off the action after five days.

He noted that the union is aware of the serious impact their absence could have on the health system, stressing that “the laboratory is the foundation of health care.”

“Our role begins at the beginning of life and continues to the end and even beyond the grave. Because in the grave we have to determine through DNA testing and other examinations whether or not you are the actual person who lies there.”

He also pointed out that the decision to suspend the strike was influenced by the union’s commitment to law-abiding citizens.

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