A strike has been called on by medical workers for tomorrow, who say that if the kind of working conditions that exist now continue, then sufficient number of medical lab workers will not be available, and the in-office workers will be unable to manage the expected 40 million increase in tests in the approaching 15 years term.

Stewart Smith, NZ Medical Laboratory Workers Union (NZLWU) National President, said that in the coming days patients will have to be listed on waiting timetable that will be stretched for quite some time so that they can undergo blood test.

More than 70% docs’ treatment needs medical lab workers’ participation so as to offer confirmation on the diagnosis.

In the existing setting people do not have to wait for longer duration in order to get diagnosis. However, in the near future there will be a need to have enough medical lab workers available for the growing size of populace.

Talking of the present scenario, 70% of highly trained medical laboratory scientists give up their profession in a term of ten years, which is mainly because of scarce salary and awful working conditions.

Smith asserted that improved pay package and working conditions will help in attracting good number of medical lab workforce.