Members of the Ghana Physician Assistant Association have served notice of an industrial action if the Ministry of Health fails to address their concerns regarding better conditions of service within the next seven days.
At a post-2021 Annual General Conference, the Association said worsened plight among its members is affecting smooth delivery of services.
The General Secretary of the Ghana Physician Assistants Association, Peter Eyram Kuenyefu who addressed the media in Kumasi, warned its industrial action will severely affect quality healthcare if the government does not respond in time.
“It is pathetic to note that the Ministry of Health seems not to appreciate the tenets of diplomacy and proactive dialogue in addressing labour-related issues in our country especially when it has to do with physician assistants. This is very unfortunate and as an association, we shall from henceforth resist such posture from the Ministry of Health and its agents and subsequently resort to the language most understood by politicians and technocrats”, he said.
The Association is also worried about the poor treatment of physician Assistants by the Medical and Dental Council and the high level of unemployment within its fold.
“The Ministry of Health should as a matter of urgency initiate processes leading to a broader stakeholder engagement within six months on the mounting specialty programme for practicing physician assistants in Ghana. The Ministry of Health and the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) must officially appoint physician assistants as sub-district heads and commensurate remunerations must be attached to such positions”.
The association also demanded the provision of financial clearance for the 800 physician assistants who are home and yet to be employed.
“Also, the Ministry of Health shall within two months seek financial clearance for the over 800 physician assistants who are sitting at home. We expect the Ministry of Health to within the next 7 days response to all our issues or we publish a road map that would ultimately lead to industrial action,” the Association said.
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