The President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Frank Serebour, has justified the demand for better conditions of service.
He said the current brain drain in the health sector would reduce if the conditions of service for doctors are improved.
Speaking to Umaru Sanda Amandu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, the president of the GMA regarded the demands as realistic and said an increase in salary, among other incentives, is needed for the work.
“If we agree that someone can enjoy his retirement on a salary, the person should have worked in Ghana for, say, 20 years. It will solve two problems; one is that people who want to retire on their salary will have to commit and work in this country continuously for 20 years. Wouldn’t it stop the brain drain?”
“There are still doctors who have to take public transport or Uber to attend to your emergencies. You call them in the night; they are supposed to come to you, and they are waiting for Uber. It is going on, and we are losing lives,” Dr. Frank Serebour said.
According to him, their demands are necessities that can influence the decision of youth to take up jobs in the country.
The Association has asked the government to ensure their well-being and security both during and after active service.
Speaking at the 65th General Meeting of the Association on Monday, Dr. Frank Serebour emphasized the need to protect Association members from workplace hazards and provide compensation for such incidents.
He further stressed that the association would be grateful if the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission brought finality to the matter by pushing for an increase in their salaries, as it has been overdue.
“Any delays will not be tolerated, and we will demand the full implementation of any agreed-upon terms to be effective in January 2024. Even as we negotiate, the existing conditions of service are still in force; hence the implementation of any aspect of the document that becomes due will be demanded by the GMA, as was done for the non-basic allowance,” Dr Serebour added.
