For the sake of Ghana call off strike
Ghana’s public health service is on its knees. Doctors in public hospitals withdrew emergency services yesterday and may persist in that action in protest against delays in resolving the issues of the conversion difference and reduced pensions.
Advertisement
On Monday, April, 8, 2013, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) withdrew its services in public hospitals over unresolved issues with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) bordering on the payment of market premium arrears for 2012 and conversion difference.
The government has expressed disappointment in the actions of the doctors, saying the sole action of the doctors is to cause more hardship for Ghanaians, although the government has done all that is required of it following an agreement signed with the leadership of the GMA.
The GMA has explained that it is unable to follow the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) because they are unacceptable to the association.
It is an open secret that the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) has imposed severe strains on the revenue of the country, as about 60 per cent of revenue is used to pay salaries.
Doctors are a group of professionals who are held in high esteem by society because of the services they render to the people. Presently, the labour law classifies them as essential service providers who are enjoined not to use the option of a strike to fight for improved conditions of service.
We appeal again to doctors to consider all the appeals from sections of society and call off their strike in order not to increase the health burden on the people.
We equally urge the government to not abandon social dialogue with the doctors, as the essence of negotiation is the readiness to dialogue until the differences are resolved.
The present posture of the parties in dispute will not help the cause of putting in place an efficient health delivery system.
We think the best way out of the stalemate lies with the doctors to rescind their decision and return to the negotiation table with the FWSC.
The President has spoken about a stakeholders’ forum to look at the challenges thrown up by the implementation of the SSPP with the view to resolving the bottlenecks.
The payment of ex gratia to Article 71 office holders may have aggravated the strikes in the public sector, but we think the pain of the striking workers can be assuaged if the government takes decisive action to place all workers on the SSPP.
The country is at the crossroads and there are many other challenges that may not be helped with a turbulent industrial scene.
We call on all doctors to resolve now to fulfil the Hippocratic Oath they took on graduation. They may not be upholding their professional ethical standards with the withdrawal of their services.