Biomedical Scientists Consider Court Action Over Licensing Delays in Ghana
- Ghanaian biomedical scientists are demanding a clear registration and licensing pathway from the Allied Health Professions Council
- The professional body says graduates remain unable to register or sit licensing examinations despite holding accredited degrees
- The Society has requested a response within 14 days and raised the possibility of seeking judicial review at the High Court
- Despite AHPC expanding its regulated professions since 2013, Ghanaian BSc Biomedical Sciences graduates still lack a registration pathway
Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!
The Ghanaian Society for Biomedical Scientists (GSBS) has raised concerns over the continued lack of a professional registration and licensing pathway for graduates holding Bachelor of Science degrees in Biomedical Sciences in Ghana.
Source: UGC
The Society is now considering seeking judicial review at the High Court if ongoing engagements with the Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC) fail to produce progress.
In a letter dated November 2, 2026, addressed to AHPC Registrar Professor Shirazu Issahaku, the Society expressed concern about delays in arranging a meeting to discuss the registration of Biomedical Sciences graduates.
Source: UGC
The letter, signed by Evans Kwabena Abor, founding member and President of GSBS, follows months of correspondence aimed at securing formal recognition for graduates trained in the discipline.
Biomedical scientists demand professional recognition
According to the Society, graduates from programmes accredited by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), including those offered by the University of Cape Coast, currently lack an established pathway to register with AHPC or sit a professional licensing examination specifically for Biomedical Sciences.
The situation persists despite the Council's mandate under the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857), to regulate allied health professions and ensure appropriate professional standards.
GSBS argues that while the Council has accommodated other emerging allied health disciplines over the years, Biomedical Sciences graduates remain without a distinct registration category.
In an earlier letter dated September 1, 2026, the Society explained that Biomedical Sciences is a separate discipline from Medical Laboratory Science, with its own curriculum, clinical and research practicum requirements, and graduate population.
Although both programmes share core diagnostic subjects, including haematology, blood transfusion, clinical chemistry and medical microbiology, Biomedical Sciences extends into specialised areas.
These include molecular diagnostics, human genomics, bioinformatics, translational medicine, cancer biology, reproductive and developmental biology, pharmacology and drug discovery.
The Society further maintains that the Ghanaian Biomedical Sciences curriculum aligns with relevant educational criteria used by the UK's Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), strengthening its argument for a distinct professional assessment pathway.
GSBS is therefore seeking a formal or provisional registration category, an appropriate licensing examination and structured engagement with the Council.
Society considers High Court intervention
The latest development follows a series of exchanges between the Society and AHPC.
In its November 2 letter, GSBS acknowledged receiving a response from AHPC on September 30, 2026, indicating that a meeting would be arranged after consultations with relevant stakeholders.
Following the Council's request for further curriculum information, the Society submitted detailed course-by-course descriptions on October 7, 2026.
It subsequently sent follow-up correspondence on October 8 and October 23 but said neither received a response, leaving the proposed meeting without a confirmed date.
The Society has now requested an indicative meeting date and the contact details of a designated AHPC Secretariat officer to facilitate further discussions.
It has also requested information under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), including the official list of professions currently registered by the Council and any assessment conducted on the Biomedical Sciences curriculum.
In its latest correspondence, the Society asked AHPC to respond within 14 days of receiving the letter.
It indicated that continued delays could leave it with little alternative but to seek judicial review under Article 23 of Ghana's 1992 Constitution, which requires administrative bodies to act fairly and reasonably.
However, the organisation emphasised that legal action is not its preferred approach.
"That is a step we very much hope to avoid," the Society stated in its letter.
GSBS maintains that its objective is not to undermine Medical Laboratory Science or demand automatic licensing for its members, but to secure a fair assessment of Biomedical Sciences qualifications and a recognised professional pathway.
The dispute raises broader questions about how Ghana's regulatory institutions respond to emerging health disciplines and whether graduates trained in specialised scientific fields are being given appropriate opportunities to contribute to the country's healthcare system.
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: YEN.com.gh
