Health Minister pledges stronger lab systems to safeguard sector

The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s laboratory systems as a central pillar in the country’s health security agenda. He made this declaration while addressing participants at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Annual National Congress of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), held at the Sanctuary of Wind and Fire Assemblies of God Church in Tamale on Thursday, 30th October 2025.

Delivering his speech under the theme, “Enhancing Laboratory Resilience: Combating Emerging Infectious Diseases and AMR through Emerging Technologies, Collaboration, and Research,” the Minister emphasized that no health system can be effective without a strong and resilient laboratory network.

Laboratories: The Backbone of Health Systems

Hon. Akandoh noted that the COVID-19 pandemic reaffirmed a fundamental truth — laboratories are the backbone of effective healthcare systems. “Laboratories are central to disease detection, patient management, and health security,” he said, adding that effective laboratories are essential for swift outbreak containment and accurate diagnosis.

He cautioned that weak laboratory systems often lead to delayed diagnoses, mismanaged conditions, and uncontrolled infections. “Laboratory resilience,” he stated, “is therefore a non-negotiable pillar of health sector reform and the resetting agenda.”

Confronting Emerging Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance

Addressing the theme of the congress, the Minister outlined Ghana’s dual challenge of emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Diseases such as Ebola, Marburg, cholera, and meningitis continue to test the country’s readiness and resilience.

Citing World Health Organization (WHO) data, Hon. Akandoh revealed that AMR is now the third leading cause of mortality globally, accounting for over a million direct deaths annually. He warned that without urgent action, “routine infections may become deadly, and standard treatments ineffective.”

He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to the global agenda of reducing deaths linked to bacterial AMR by 10% by 2030, referencing the 2019 baseline of 4.95 million deaths. “Strong laboratory capacity for surveillance, diagnostics, and stewardship,” he stressed, “has therefore become very critical.”

Harnessing Technology for Smarter Laboratories

Hon. Akandoh announced that the Ministry of Health is collaborating with GAMLS, academia, and the private sector to integrate emerging technologies into the national health system. He highlighted innovations in genomics, digital health, point-of-care diagnostics, and artificial intelligence as game-changers in medical laboratory science.

“Smarter laboratories,” he said, “will not only diagnose but also generate real-time data to inform policy, guide treatment, and predict emerging threats.” Ghana, he emphasized, “cannot be left out in the global agenda of eliminating public health threats using technology.”

Partnerships and Professionalism for a Resilient System

The Minister underscored the need for coordinated laboratory networks linking public, private, academic, and research institutions. He said the Ministry and the Ghana Health Service are developing frameworks to standardize quality management and deploy resources efficiently.

He urged the Association to continue championing professionalism and enforcing standards: “GAMLS must remain a community of scientists dedicated to national service and complement government’s efforts in healthcare reform.”

Research and Innovation as Pillars of Resilience

Hon. Akandoh described research as another cornerstone of laboratory resilience. He called for stronger collaboration between scientists and policymakers to ensure that local research findings directly inform national health planning.

“Evidence-based decision-making depends on local research capacity,” he said. “We must support young scientists and ensure findings are translated into policy and practice.”

Investing in People and Infrastructure

The Minister reiterated government’s commitment to retooling health facilities and recruiting additional professionals, including medical laboratory scientists, under the 2026 budget. He also highlighted plans to establish a postgraduate specialist college for laboratory scientists, fulfilling a key manifesto promise.

“Government is resetting the health sector to retain local resources for local solutions while meeting global health targets,” he affirmed.

Tackling Unemployment and Quackery in the Health Sector

Addressing concerns about unemployment among healthcare professionals, Hon. Akandoh said the Ministry is taking pragmatic steps to regulate training and indexing. He has directed the Chief Director to constitute a steering committee to implement the government’s promise of establishing a Medical Laboratory Science Council.

This move, he noted, will help ensure quality training and curb quackery within the profession. Additionally, plans are underway to expand public health laboratory coverage to enhance disease surveillance.

Towards Sustainable Health Financing and Universal Health Coverage

As part of the Resetting Agenda, the Minister outlined government efforts toward sustainable health financing to ensure transparency, quality, and patient safety. These efforts, he explained, are integral to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and making healthcare accessible to all Ghanaians.

A Call to Collective Action

In his closing remarks, Hon. Akandoh reminded the gathering that resilience is built by choice, not chance. He called on all stakeholders — government, donors, academia, industry, and professionals — to collaborate in building laboratories capable of safeguarding the nation’s health.

“The future of Ghana’s health system depends on your work,” he told the scientists. “Together, we can build laboratories that are resilient, innovative, and capable of protecting every Ghanaian.”

With that, the Minister formally declared the 2025 GAMLS Congress open, wishing all participants fruitful deliberations.