The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) has called on the government to establish and resource District Medical Laboratory Scientist positions across all districts to improve diagnostic services and strengthen the implementation of Ghana’s Free Primary Healthcare agenda.

The call was among 12 resolutions adopted at the Association’s 2026 Annual National Congress and Scientific Conference, held from November 4 to 7 at the GAMLS National Secretariat Complex at Ngleshie Amanfro in the Greater Accra Region.

The congress, held under the theme, “Diagnostics at the Heart of Healthcare: Strengthening Laboratory Systems for Ghana’s Free Primary Healthcare Agenda,” brought together medical laboratory science professionals from across the country to deliberate on challenges confronting the profession and the role of laboratory services in improving healthcare delivery.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the four-day event and dated November 7, 2026, the Association said district-level professional leadership was necessary to strengthen coordination, supervision, mentorship, standardisation and accountability in laboratory service delivery.

It urged the Ministry of Health and its agencies to establish the positions with clearly defined responsibilities for monitoring the quality of laboratory services at the district level.

GAMLS seeks greater role in health policy formulation

The Association also called for the active involvement of Medical Laboratory Scientists in national health policy formulation, planning and implementation processes, particularly those relating to diagnostic services.

It observed that professionals in the field were often engaged only during the implementation of health policies rather than at the planning and decision-making stages.

GAMLS said it had the technical expertise to support diagnostic policy development, professional training, quality assurance and monitoring, and therefore deserved appropriate representation on national health policy committees, technical working groups and other relevant structures.

The Association further called for increased representation of Medical Laboratory Scientists on institutional, regional and national health governance structures, including boards and committees responsible for healthcare delivery.

Calls for dedicated regulatory council

Another major concern raised at the congress was the absence of a dedicated regulatory council for the Medical Laboratory Science profession.

According to the communiqué, the increasing complexity of laboratory practice makes specialised professional regulation necessary to address existing gaps in professional governance, representation and regulation of practice.

The congress consequently resolved to intensify advocacy with the government and relevant stakeholders for the establishment of a dedicated Medical Laboratory Science Regulatory Council, backed by an appropriate legislative and institutional framework.

GAMLS believes such a council would strengthen professional accountability, governance and the regulation of laboratory practice in the country.

Warns against compromising quality in expanding diagnostic services

The Association cautioned that expanding access to diagnostic services, particularly under the Free Primary Healthcare programme, must not come at the expense of quality and patient safety.

It stressed that all testing facilities must have qualified personnel, appropriate equipment, validated testing methods and functional quality management systems.

The congress also expressed concern about the increasing deployment of Point-of-Care Testing (POCT), particularly in community-based healthcare settings.

It said such services must operate under the technical oversight of qualified Medical Laboratory Scientists and be integrated into facility laboratory quality management systems in accordance with national guidelines.

GAMLS noted that the expansion of community-based testing could create challenges relating to operator competency, quality control, equipment maintenance and the reliability of test results if appropriate professional supervision was not ensured.

The Association therefore resolved to advocate for mandatory quality standards across all testing facilities, including internal quality control and external quality assessment.

Wants laboratory services fully covered under Free Primary Healthcare

GAMLS also called for diagnostic investigations to be explicitly included in the Free Primary Healthcare benefit package, with dedicated and sustainable funding to support their delivery.

It argued that access to healthcare would remain incomplete without reliable diagnostic services to support disease detection, clinical decision-making and patient management.

The Association said funding arrangements must cover laboratory personnel, reagents, consumables, equipment maintenance, referral services and quality assurance.

It warned that inadequate funding for these critical components could undermine the sustainability of the Free Primary Healthcare programme and affect the quality of services available to patients.

Raises concerns over unemployment among laboratory professionals

The congress further highlighted the persistent unemployment and underemployment of qualified Medical Laboratory Science professionals despite the continuous production of graduates in the country.

GAMLS described the expansion of Free Primary Healthcare as an opportunity for the government to address workforce gaps by incorporating Medical Laboratory Science professionals into its recruitment and deployment strategies.

It urged the government to ensure equitable deployment of qualified professionals across district and primary healthcare facilities to support the growing demand for diagnostic services.

The Association said the effective utilisation of available professionals would strengthen laboratory operations while improving access to quality diagnostic services, particularly at the community level.

Seeks national specimen transportation and referral network

The communiqué also drew attention to challenges associated with specimen transportation and referral arrangements, which it said could limit access to specialised diagnostic investigations.

GAMLS stressed that the transportation of specimens must preserve their integrity and comply with established biosafety requirements.

It therefore called for a coordinated national specimen referral and transportation network supported by standard procedures for packaging, biosafety, temperature control where necessary, tracking and timely delivery.

According to the Association, an effective referral network would enable health facilities to access specialised laboratory investigations beyond their immediate testing capacity without compromising specimen quality.

Calls for investment in laboratory infrastructure and equipment

The congress expressed concern about inadequate laboratory infrastructure, equipment breakdowns and irregular supplies of essential reagents and consumables in some health facilities.

It observed that these challenges continued to disrupt diagnostic services and increase the referral burden on facilities.

To address the situation, GAMLS called for a sustainable national laboratory infrastructure and equipment plan that would provide for facility upgrades, preventive maintenance, equipment replacement and reliable procurement systems.

The Association also emphasised the need for uninterrupted supplies of essential laboratory reagents and consumables to ensure the continuous delivery of diagnostic services.

Dr. Eric Kofi Aidoo re-elected GAMLS President

Meanwhile, the congress elected new national officers to steer the affairs of the Association for the 2026–2028 administrative period.

Dr. Eric Kofi Aidoo was elected President, with Samuel Kwabena Appiah as Vice President.

Other elected officers are Dr. Paul Ntiamoah as General Secretary and Hephzibah Efua Otchere-Baffour as Financial Secretary.

The communiqué emphasised that the electoral process must comply with the GAMLS Constitution and approved electoral procedures to guarantee transparency, fairness, credibility and accountability.

It noted that electoral transparency and institutional accountability were essential to maintaining members’ confidence and promoting unity within the Association.

Congress pledges collaboration with government and stakeholders

The congress reaffirmed GAMLS’s commitment to working with the government and other stakeholders to improve health outcomes and support access to healthcare at the community level.

The event was held under the distinguished chairmanship of Nii Kwashie Gborlor IV, Divisional Chief of Ngleshie Amanfro.

It was attended by the Member of Parliament for Domeabra-Obom, Hon. Isaac Awuku Yibor, who served as Guest of Honour; the Municipal Chief Executive for Ga South, Hon. Moses Kabu Kubi Ocansey; Dr Robert Amesiya, Guest Speaker; and Dr Bernard Nkrumah, Keynote Speaker.

The Association described its Annual National Congress and Scientific Conference as its highest decision-making platform and a major professional gathering for members to share knowledge, assess developments in the profession and deliberate on issues of national and global importance.

GAMLS, which is the professional body for Medical Laboratory professionals in Ghana, was registered under the Professional Bodies Registration Decree, NRCD 143 of 1973, with registration number PB-2 on July 25, 1973.

The Association said the resolutions adopted at the 2026 congress would guide its engagements with government and relevant stakeholders as it seeks to position medical laboratory services as a central pillar of Ghana’s healthcare system.

Read the full communique 

GHANA ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTIST_GAMLS_ 2026 CONGRESS COMMUNIQUE 3FINAL doc