The Ghana Medical Association has called off its three week old strike Joy News has learnt.The decision to call off the strike was taken after an executive council meeting by the leaders of the Ghana Medical Association held Friday.
"All members are to restore full services from Monday," a statement issued after the meeting said.
The doctors withdrew their services on July 30, 2015 in protest over the absence of a codified conditions of service.
They were demanding a signed document detailing a number of entitlements to be given to them as part of their conditions of service.
Part of their demands included 40% of basic salaries as accommodation allowance per month, 20 percent as core duty facilitation allowance, 30% clothing allowance, 20% maintenance allowance, 20% utility allowance, 50% as professional allowance and 25% special risk allowance and vehicle tax exemption to doctors.
The proposal was condemned severally by government spokespersons some of whom described the demands as outrageous.
President John Mahama, time without number insisted he was not going to authorize payment for an unbudgeted amount of money to be paid doctors or any other public sector worker.
He also instructed the doctors to call off the strike and return to the negotiation table, something the doctors refused to do.
As a contingency measure the Ministry of Health announced government's plans to recruit retired doctors as well as doctors from Cuba to provide health care services to Ghanaian patients at least for the time being.
Whilst the back and forth continued between government and the doctors, the impact of the strike was felt at various referral hospitals across the country.
There were reported deaths as a result of the absence of doctors.
In the heat of the insults hurled both at government and the doctors, there were some appeals to the latter by influential persons in the country including clergy men, the national chief Imam, former presidents, the Otumfuor to call off the strike.
The doctors may have heeded to the appeals and called for an emergency meeting, Friday. They then agreed to call off the strike after the meeting.
A joint statement signed by the president of the GMA Dr Kwabena Opoku Adusei and General Secretary Dr Frank Serebour said the suspension of the strike takes effect on Monday August 24, 2015.
The statement said the negotiation committee of the GMA will continue negotiating with government on the issue of conditions of service.
Full statement:
PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED AT THE END OF AN EMERGENCY NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING, HELD IN ACCRA ONAUGUST 21, 2015 The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) having met and extensively deliberated on the ongoing industrial action by the Members of the GMA and having discussed all developments including the following;
1. Dedication of GMA Members
The determination and dedication of the members of the GMA to fight for a negotiated and signed Conditions of Service document for doctors in Ministry of Health (MOH) and its agencies cannot be over emphasized. All doctors in the public sector have indeed proven that we have the tenacity and the capacity to fight for our future and shall continue to work together to achieve our goals. The National Executive Council of the GMA would like to salute our gallant doctors. It is clear to everybody that the fight has just started and our determination to get a negotiated and signed Conditions of Service document shall never be abandoned until same is achieved.
2. Appeals
The National Executive Council of the GMA in its deliberations took into consideration the appeals by the ordinary Ghanaians, the wise counsel of certain eminent individuals and some credible organizations.
The intervention of former Heads of State, Otumfuo Osei Tutu Il (Asantehene), Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin (Okyehene), the Christian Council, Catholic Bishops Conference, Ghana Pentecostal Council, Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), the National House of Chiefs, the Peace Council, the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Ghana Health.
Service Council, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, and sections of the media. It is the hope of the GMA that, all these people who have intervened will not relent on their effort to ensure that doctors in this country get their Conditions of Service to forestall future occurrence of this industrial unrest
3. Insults by Government Communicators The GMA at this moment forgives all these individuals who out of ignorance and other motivations took the path of insults in their attempt to resolve this industrial unrest by doctors to demand a legitimate right. It is the hope of the GMA that, these people will take a cue from this protracted industrial dispute and realize that, insults including threats of armed robbery attacks do very little to help matters when it comes to labour disputes.
4. National Labour Commission (NLC) Directive The NLC in time past has woefully failed to enforce its rulings in favour of the GMA against government. It is our hope that the NLC would leave up to expectation this time around.
5. Government's Ultimatums, Intimidations and Threats Threats by governments and its agencies rather increased the resolve of the GMA. It is the position of the GMA that, the government has taken an entrenched position throughout the process of negotiations. The government instead of adopting a problem solving approach rather chose to go on the tangent of threats and intimidations. We would like to indicate that, these threats, intimidations and ultimatums do not solve any problems in the industrial front.
6. Opinion of So-Called Labour Consultants The GMA finds it very unfortunate that some individuals who call themselves labour consultants chose the path of emotions in expressing their opinion in this matter. It was the hope of the GMA that some of these people could have been more professional in their work instead of choosing to only see one side of the coin and in all their communications clearly showed bias towards the GMA. Indeed, some of these so-called labour consultants have proven to all and sundry that they are more of government communicators and propagandists than professionals.
In as much as NEC is aware that the general membership would like to pursue this matter to its logical conclusion, the NEC of the GMA decides as follows;
a. That the ongoing withdrawal of out-patient and emergency services by members of the GMA is suspended. b. That the suspension takes effect from Monday 24th of August, 2015.
c. That all members of the GMA should fully restore their services effective 8.00am on the said date.
d. That the Negotiation Committee of the GMA should continue to negotiate on behalf of the members of the GMA with government such that the conclusions of negotiations would be fed into the 2016 budget for implementation of same.
e. That all members should wait for further information from leadership as and when it becomes necessary.
Signed by President of GMA Dr Kwabena Opoku Adusei and General Secretary Dr Frank Serebour
- See more at: http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2015/august-21st/gma-calls-off-strike.php#sthash.iWsBtdO7.dpuf
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Date: 21-08-2015 Date: 05:08:07pm
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