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The Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists (GACRA) has threatened to advice itself if the Ministry of Health (MOH) and its Agencies fail to ensure the operationalization of its new name as enshrined in the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act 2013, Act 857.

Mr Jacob Mbuer Wambei, President of the Association said three years after the passage of the law, which changed their name from the GACRA, to the Certified Registered Anaesthetists (CRA), the MOH and it's Agencies have failed to acknowledge it as such.

According to him, although the leadership of the Association had tried their best to resolve the issue with the requisite authorities, it has yielded no results.

Mr Wambei, who issued the threat at the opening of the 11th Biennial Congress and Scientific Session of the GACRA in Accra, said Ghanaian Professionals in the field, have lived and worked for the past 70 years without a respectful name, despite the critical role it plays in the area of quality healthcare delivery.
He said the Association believes that the process was being delayed in an attempt to amend it to satisfy a few, to the detriment of the Ghanaian.

"We are afraid the consequences of the amendment might not be palatable to the good people of Ghana, whose interest we serve", he said.
He therefore appealed to the Medical and Dental Council “to intervene before things get out of hands.”

The two-day programme, which was on the theme: "Demystifying the fear of Surgery: the Role of the Certified Registered Anaesthetist", provides an opportunity for practitioners to strategies and find sustainable ways of addressing the issue of stress and anxiety of patients, to ensure safer surgery.

It was also an occasion for the Association to assess its performance over the last four years and to draw another development plan, in line with rendering safe and quality care to patients for the years ahead.

Mr Wambei said anaesthesia, unfortunately remains the profession that was not well known even among health professionals and also among the public.

He explained that the Anaesthetist was a professional, who sustains surgery and the team leader in any meaningful resuscitation.
He pledged the association's commitment, through enhanced public education, to ensuring that surgery becomes less fearful to patients.
Nii Aforty Agbo, Greater Accra Regional Minister, commended the Association for the tremendous impact it had made in ensuring quality healthcare and also towards enhancing the human resource base of the profession.

He however urged them to do more to gain public confidence in surgical systems, as high morbidity and mortality cannot be allowed to thrive.

He said government remains committed towards the investment in the expansion and upgrading of health infrastructure, provision of the needed equipment and the training of the requisite personnel to manage these facilities.

He acknowledged and applauded the present high standards exhibited by the products of the Anaesthetist Training School, who are working in the various hospitals across the country.

Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, Deputy Minister of Health, said the Ministry has taken note of complains made, and would address all to ensure peace.