Government’s directive to hospitals to put in contingency plans to mitigate the impact of strike by the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) appears to have been ignored.
Members of the GHOSPA on Monday, September 5 declared an indefinite strike over demands for their market premiums. The association said their action was necessitated by a permanent breakdown in negotiations with government over its grade structure and placement in public health facilities, an issue which has lingered for about 6 years.
The Ministry of Health last week issued a directive for all government hospitals to put in some contingencies to attend to patients as GHOSPA intensifies the strike.
However, 3News’ checks at three major referral hospitals in the country – the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, the Tamale Teaching Hospital and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital – proved that the directive was not being adhered to.
But speaking to 3News, Head of Communications at the Ministry, Tony Goodman says the Ministry specifically directed managers of various health facilities to open up the pharmacies to enable pharmacy technicians to work.
“We have directed the various managers of these facilities to provide the care. Let’s not forget that the ministry also regulates both the public and private pharmacies so if the private serves we believe we have given them the accreditation to work. Specifically we asked the managers to open the place up so that the pharmacy technicians who are ready to work will serve the patients.”
He assured that his outfit would monitor to ensure adherence to the directive. ‘‘Our checks also reveal that some of the technicians are at post but because people are aware of the strike they don’t even go there at all. I don’t know the time your reporter was there but we will follow up and check with this information and ensure it is rectified. We will hope by tomorrow patients will go there to be served,” he said on Tuesday.
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