Mr Albert Asiedu-Ofei, President of the Association of Health Service Administrators says the anomaly in placing subordinate Health Service Administrators higher than their superiors on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) is affecting their morale.
Mr Asiedu-Ofei said this undermined the managerial responsibilities of Health Service Administrators and weakened their moral authority in the exercise of their supervisory roles in health facilities.
He said though the National Executive Committee, had consistently engaged the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) through the Health Services Union of the Trade Union Congress to rectify the issue, it had not yielded results.
Mr Asiedu-Ofei said this when he addressed the 40th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Health Services Administrators, Ghana, (AHSAG) in Bolgatanga on the theme: “Health Service Administration in Ghana, the past 40 years: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects.”
The President added that the Association was “vehemently against the unwholesome” merger of the Finance Division and Health Administration and Support Services Division.
This, he observed would compromise the discharge of the functions of one of the present divisions.
He hinted that the Ghana Health Service had approved a new job description for Health Service Administrators and expressed the hope that it would afford the Association the opportunity to review placement through the Health Service Workers Union to FWSC for a favourable job evaluation and right placement on the SSSS.
He noted that Health Administration was a specialised area of managing health institutions by professionals with the requisite knowledge and skills to provide excellent administrative services.
He said the Association had over the years contributed to the growth and knowledge base of its members through continuous learning and by organising various professional training programmes.
Mr Albert Abongo, the Upper East Regional Minister, said health service administrators shared largely in the modest gains in the just ended Millennium Development Goals in Health.
He said in moments of uncertainties and instabilities, on the labour front in the health sector, administrators had always remained the lifelines of the country’s health facilities, going the extra mile to ensure that basic services were provided to people in need.
“You have often seen to the survival of facilities by ensuring that resources, both human and logistics were provided in the most effective and efficient manner,” he said.
Mr Abongo indicated that in spite of the concerns expressed by members regarding the SSSS, he trusted that the AHSAG would work with the Ministry of Health and all stakeholders to push the goals of the health sector.
AHSAG he said had shown good faith in the past even against the background of genuine concerns, and urged members to exhibit the same loyalty and patriotism to the cause of the nation.
Dr Abdul Razak Dokurugu, the Deputy Regional Director, in-charge of Clinical Care, at the said Health Service Administrators played pivotal role in the health delivery system of the country.
“Health care delivery revolves around you,” and said and urged members to adopt the right attitude and behaviour that would bring their knowledge to bear on the performance of their duties.
Dr Dokurugu asked the Administrators that, though AHSAG represented their professional interest, health care delivery was a team work and each team member’s role and contribution was very critical.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
