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The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has served notice of intent to declare a strike for its members nationwide within a week if Government does not address deficiencies in the conditions of service of doctors and Dentists working in the various public hospitals.
Consequently, government is under a week’s ultimatum to sign the agreed Conditions of Service Document for Medical Doctors/Dentists working with the Ministry of Health and its agencies or see doctors abandon patients.
“A one-week
window is hereby offered Government (MoH) that is, if by 1800 hours GMT on 17th
November, 2019, the Conditions of Service Document for Medical Doctors/Dentists
working with the Ministry of Health and its agencies has not been signed off
for implementation effective 1st January 2020,” the communiqué demanded.
Failure to meet their demand, it said would mean “effective
Monday, 18th November 2019, all Medical Doctors/Dentists working in the public
sector shall withdraw Outpatient Department (OPD) Services. This would continue
till Sunday, 1st December 2019.
”From Monday 2nd December 2019 to Sunday 8th
December 2019 emergency services shall be withdrawn.
”From Monday, 9th December 2019 all services
shall be totally withdrawn.”
The threat was contained in a communiqué from the GMA’s 61st Annual General Conference in Tamale, capital of the Northern Region, over the weekend. It presents a dread for Government. In 2015, when the GMA declared strike, the Mahama government was heavily stressed as public hospitals were abandoned and patients left to their fate.