The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has withdrawn its emergency services from all government hospitals in the country after negotiations between them and government strained further.
The doctors have been on strike for more than a week after talks with the government over the provision of a formal document containing their conditions of service broke down.
The Parliamentary Committee on Health met the officials of the Association in an attempt to persuade the doctors to call off their strike.
However, the doctors remain adamant that they will not go back to work until their demands for conditions of service are met.
The deputy General Secretary of the GMA, Dr. Justice Yankson confirmed that a meeting had been held with the Committee, who acknowledged the concerns of the doctors stating that everything was being done to resolve the situation.
When asked why the GMA refused to call off the strike after the meeting, Dr. Yankson said: “Where we are, there’s nothing like going back to work for now. We have to deal with the issues. We also wouldn’t want things done without a proper resolution of the matter.”
The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has ordered the doctors to call off their ‘illegal strike” and return to work.
President Mahama recently reiterated that he will not be pressured in authorising payments outside the country’s budget.
The GMA is also facing a suit for embarking on the industrial action while negotiations are still ongoing.
However the GMA’s General Secretary rejected any suggestions that the association was under pressure to call off their strike.
“There is no pressure on us to go back to work. What we are asking for is simple. Provide our conditions of service. That is it,” he said.
Source: ghanaweb.com
