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Doctors intensify strike: Withdraw emergency services

Dr Kwabena Opoku Adusei, GMA PresidentDoctors in all public health institutions have resolved to withdraw all emergency services from today - Monday.

According to a statement issued by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), "this has become necessary because the issues of the conversion difference and reduced pensions have not been resolved as of now”.

The conversion difference is the compensation paid to job holders to ensure that they are not worse off after they have been placed on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).

The statement, signed by the General Secretary of the GMA, Dr Frank Serebour, said doctors would only attend to in-patients until they were discharged.

However, the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Mr George Smith-Graham, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the doctors had signed an agreement with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations over the conversion difference and other matters and, therefore, the commission did not understand why they had decided to withdraw emergency services.

He said the issues being raised by the doctors had been referred to the Post-Migration Committee on SSSS for resolution and, therefore, wondered why the GMA should direct its members to continue with the second phase of its action.

But the GMA, in its statement, said the suspension of emergency cases at public hospitals was in line with the second phase of the industrial action which started two weeks ago.

“I am directed by the NEC of the GMA to remind all doctors of the second phase of the road map as put up on the 14th of April, 2013 by the GMA. Per this road map, all doctors are directed that, from Monday, April 22, 2013, all doctors should withdraw emergency services and attend to only in-patients till their discharge.

"This has become necessary because the issues of the conversion difference and reduced pensions have not been resolved as of now,” the statement said.

On Monday, April 8, 2013, the GMA embarked on strike over unresolved issues with the FWSC bordering on the payment of market premium arrears for 2012 and conversion difference.

The doctors initially withdrew outpatient services and warned that they would withdraw emergency services if the matter was not resolved by April 15, this year.

Before the deadline for the withdrawal of emergency services elapsed, they decided to extend the grace period to April 22, this year, after they had held discussions with the government, the FWSC and the National Labour Commission (NLC).

They, however, threatened to activate the suspension of emergency services if nothing was done to address their grievances by April 22, 2013.

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