1. Posted on Monday 17 October 2011 - 12:39

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   Dolphyne

   

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   Joseph Appiah-Dolphyne, AfricaNews editor in Accra, Ghana

   The Ghanaian health sector is seen to be in distress as the country's doctors go on strike over pay. The strike that began over a week ago has seen sick people being left to their fate and some reportedly dying as the doctors continue strike over a salaries dispute, a move backed by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA).

   

   The actual dispute is with the government’s Fair Wages Commission (FWC) which the GMA is accusing of putting professionals with similar skills and job descriptions in different salary scales.
   
   Earlier on in a statement, the GMA “instructed all doctors to stop work and hold themselves in readiness for further instructions.” The statement cited “distortions” in the proper migration of doctors into a new government scheme, especially with regard to the positions of District Directors of Health Service and Medical Superintendents.”
   
   Indeed, the doctors’ strike has generated widespread public dismay with others still empathizing with the doctors and others accusing the government of neglecting the doctors.
   
   The Ghana Labour Commission- a body tasked with the responsibility of resolving all labour disputes in that country has disagreed with the course of action taking by the Ghana Medical Association.
   
   Compulsory arbitration
   
   As part of efforts to get the Ghana Medical Association to call off the strike it declared last Monday to press home the demand for swift migration of doctors and junior nurses onto the single spine pay policy, the National Labour Commission has directed the GMA to go into compulsory arbitration with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.
   
   The NLC is relying on Section 164 of the Labour Act (Act 651) which provides that unresolved disputes should be settled by compulsory arbitration after the matter has been referred to the National Labour Commission.
   
   But junior doctors in the country have given their strongest indication yet that they will resist any attempt to compel them to accede to compulsory arbitration.
   
   The doctors say their past experiences with compulsory arbitration teach them that they can never get fairness through such a process.
   The doctors say they suffered despicable arbitrariness the last time they submitted to compulsory arbitration on the say-so of the NLC and they will not subject themselves to such unfairness again by acceding to the process.
   
   Health minister on leave
   
   Perhaps, what is very intriguing is the whereabouts of Ghana’s health minister, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, whom reports suggest has received the blessings of President John Evans Atta-Mills to go on a week leave at a crucial stage when public sector doctors have taken off their stethoscope and refused to attend to emergency cases.
   
   The Minister of Communication Haruna Iddrisu, who is acting in Yieleh Chireh’s stead, said his colleague will be off for seven days and does not think it would affect the current crisis ongoing in the health sector.
   
   A lot of people who heard Mr Iddrisu addressing issues of health on Joy FM shuddered and felt the health minister could have sacrificed to postpone his brief sabbatical to find ways of addressing a pressing national emergency.
   
   Optimism
   
   The acting health minister, Haruna Iddrisu, said the doctors must respect the laws of Ghana.
   
   He said the doctors must “demonstrate respect for the institutions that are responsible for (resolving the impasse); the Fair Wages Commission is a creation of law mandated with responsiblity for this kind of negotiation.”
   
   Iddrisu is optimistic there will be a breakthrough when members of the Ghana Medical Association meet the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission Monday.
   
   The meeting follows a breakdown in talks called by the Acting Minister with the doctors yesterday in an attempt to resolve the concerns by doctors over the new pay policy structure.

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Reactions

1. Posted on Thursday 08 December 2011 09:13

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   BlueBierd

   

   
   4 berichten
   Lid sinds December 2011

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   This is an interesting situation, as the acting health minister calls for doctors to respect the law. That is disturbing, because the strikes are happening due to the fact that the law does not respect the doctors. Hopefully the smoke clears up over the situation and the health services are restored promptly, the public shouldn’t suffer over a dispute between doctors and the government.
   
   Gordon - Greensmoke

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