GMA unhappy with increased health personnel involvement in alcoholism, drug misuse and abuse

The President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr Frank Serebour has expressed concern over what he described as dwindling professionalism in the health sector in recent times, saying some health personnel are involved in alcoholism, drug misuse and abuse.

“There has also been reported cases of sexual harassment perpetuated by health workers,” he added.

Dr Serebour made the remarks at the just-ended 66th Annual General Conference of the GMA at Sokode-Lokoe in the Volta Region.

The week-long conference was on the theme: Fostering technology, entrepreneurship and professionalism in Ghana’s health sector. 

The GMA president said there had also been cases in which doctors had been unpleasantly discussed on radio programmes and other media platforms, in addition to several legal suits against health facilities with unfavourable outcomes.

“Sometimes, we are left off the hook simply because the victims of our unprofessionalism chose to blame the witches for their predicament,” he added.

Dr Serebour insisted professionalism should be the guiding principle on the job.

“Let us take decisions based on reason rational processes and thoughtful considerations, rather than emotions and other ulterior motives.

Touching on entrepreneurship, Dr Serebour urged doctors to explore uncharted territories and work extra hard to create other streams of income.

“Sooner than later, laws may be passed to increase the retirement age from 60 to 65, based not on increasing life expectancy, but rather on economics,” he explained.

Dr Serebour said what was even more gloomy was a possible shrinking employment opportunity for upcoming health professionals in the government sector.

He said it would be a step in the right direction for the government to lease some Agenda 111 projects to doctors and other health workers as a form of group practice for them to pay back with time.

Dr Serebour announced the GMA had set up a partnership with Stanbic Bank to support doctors in private practice with funding at highly competitive rates.

“In the current unforgiving stormy economic environment, relying on a single source of income has become an eternal poison; it will kill you either now or in your retirement.

“That is the reason we need to safeguard our income through investments and other smart financial decisions, to ensure our comfort zones do not become our coffins,” Dr Serebour told the conference.