Where is our Doctors signed Codified Conditions of Service?

August 29, 2015

Where is our Doctors signed Codified Conditions of Service?

Let me start by saying that I am no medical Doctor neither do I work in the Health Sector. It is also not because I have two brilliant boys, Erastus and Bennett who have, indeed, expressed the desire to become Medical Doctors in future.

The matter is simple: Doctors and for the matter, workers in the Health Sector and other Essential Services Providers deserve BETTER CODIFIED CONDITIONS OF SERVICE considering how crucial their services are to Ghanaians.

Members of the GMA withdrew their services on July 30, 2015 in protest over the absence of codified conditions of service.

It took numerous pleas by distinguished men and women made up of the Clergy, Islamic community, past presidents, the media, ordinary Ghanaians to get members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) back to the consulting rooms.

I was one of the many Ghanaians who took to social media to condemn the doctors for embarking on what majority of Ghanaians described as “illegal” per our Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), and their employer, government for its lackadaisical attitude towards the doctors’ demand. The good news is, today our indefatigable doctors are back in the consulting rooms.

GMA had argued strongly that their industrial action was not illegal and vowed to continue its strike until they had signed codified conditions of services. Government on the other side, insisted the strike embarked upon by members of the GMA were illegal and indicated negotiation would not continue until the strike was called off.

Government in its quest to ameliorate the worsening health situation rolled out several measures including some arrangements to bring some Cuban doctors to assist.
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) subsequently called off its strike on the 21^st of August, 2015.

A statement issued by the association said the National Executive Council considered the appeals from members of general public, the clergy, and the National Council of Chiefs.

The Association’s Secretary, Dr. Frank Serebour added, the strike was also called off in order to adhere to a directive by the National Labour Commission (NLC).

“…as you all know, we have issues with the NLC we are hoping that this time around they will not act as an extended arm of government and do the bidding of government.” GMA General Secretary, Dr. Frank Serebour has said.

It was reported over five-hundred patients had died nationwide as a result of the doctors strikes though GMA had come out to dispute the numbers.

Unfortunate as that may be, many Ghanaians were pleased that members of the GMA eventually called off its three weeks strike though late. I wonder what would have happened today if the GMA had failed to call off its strike. I suppose your guess is as good as mine.

Almost a week after our hardworking doctors called off their strike, what has happened? Per the Labour Commission’s directive, both GMA and government were supposed to stay off media debate on the issue in order not to further aggravate the already heated standoff.

What about the numerous Ghanaians who were hurling insults at the doctors to call off their strike? We have all gone back to bed. Our doctors have returned to the consulting rooms, matter finish.

One would have expected those who were appealing to GMA to call off its strike and return to the consulting rooms to be up and doing in order to pre-empt what had happened over the three weeks while members of the GMA were on strike, unfortunately we have all gone back to bed, typical attitude of the Ghanaian.

GMA was the subject of discussion on every media house in Ghana during the period they were on strike. Hardly a day elapses without the media calling on the doctors to return to the consulting rooms. What has happened? Those media houses have suddenly gone dead. Typical Ghanaian attitude, we always wait till things get worse before we take action.

Where are the members of the general public, the clergy, and the National Council of Chiefs among others whose appeals got the doctors back to work? I guess we are waiting for the doctors to go back on strike before we start piling pressure on them to return to work. Interesting!

As at now, Pharmacists at the public hospital have also gone on an indefinite strike over single spine pay policy concerns. Are we serious as a nation? I don’t think we are, because a serious country will never wait till things get out of hand before we start dreaming on ways and means to have them fixed.

“It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” Mahatma Gandhi once said.

Many of us had argued doctor swore an oath to protect human lives; therefore, it was wrong for them to have gone on strike especially when they are considered as essential service providers. We must also accept the fact that doctors did not take an oath of poverty as GMA’s Deputy Secretary, Dr. Yankson has said.

I think as Ghanaians, we owe our doctors and other essential services providers a duty. It is our duty to ensure our doctors get what they wanted. As the saying goes: “when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,” it is our collective responsibility to ensure what took place it in our country some weeks ago never repeat itself, else it’s the ordinary Ghanaian that will bear the consequence of any strike action that may occur as result of government failure to grant the demands of doctors.

The poor farmer in the Builsa district, especially Gbedema Jagsa does not have money to visit a private health facility for medical attention should doctors in the public health institutions decide to embark on a strike again particularly at a time where many private health providers do not accept our NHIS cards.

Access to health care is fundamental human right enshrined in our constitution; therefore, measures must be put in place to ensure the poor Ghanaian does not suffer injustice due to someone’s apparent negligence of duty.

This is a clarion call on all Ghanaians to stand up and speak passionately for our doctors and other essential services providers else if the two elephants fight again, it’s we the ordinary Ghanaian that will bear the brunt of their actions.

God bless our homeland Ghana.