The Society of Medical Laboratory Managers-Ghana (SMLM-G) is demanding greater recognition and inclusion of laboratory managers in Ghana’s healthcare decision-making process.

According to the group, medical laboratory managers, who generate over 70% of essential diagnostic data, remain unfairly treated as support staff despite their critical role in patient care.

The call was made at the SMLM-G 2025 Annual General Meeting, held from July 24 to 25, 2025, under the theme “Medical Laboratory Managers' Involvement in Core Management: A Necessity in Restructuring Healthcare Delivery in Ghana.”

Executive Board Chairman, Dr David S Sackey, argued that excluding laboratory managers from strategic and operational leadership has resulted in systemic challenges, including:

Delays in procuring vital consumables for laboratories.

Unmaintained diagnostic equipment left unused for long periods.

Increased risks to patients due to inefficiencies in diagnostic services.

“Laboratory managers belong at the decision-making table, not on the sidelines,” Dr Sackey stressed.

The medical laboratory profession has evolved significantly, now including Doctors of Medical Laboratory Science and specialized consultants capable of leading healthcare institutions and shaping policy.

However, Dr Eric Kofi Aidoo, President of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), noted that although the amended Ghana Health and Teaching Hospitals Act 1996 (Act 525) provides for allied health professionals to serve on teaching hospital boards, Hospital Management Committees have yet to integrate the Laboratory Clinical Unit into core management operations.

Dr Gloria Amegatcher, Public Relations Officer of GAMLS, reiterated the crucial role of laboratory managers, highlighting their responsibility in:

Ensuring accurate and reliable diagnostics.

Implementing quality control standards.

Leading laboratory teams for efficient service delivery.

Generating critical data to guide evidence-based health policies.

“To build an effective healthcare system, laboratory managers must be recognized and included in decision-making processes,” she stated.

AM/AE

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