Employ 500 Abandoned Medical Officers, GMA Charges Government

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) is asking government to immediately employ some over 500 medical officers who have completed their housemanship and have been left unemployed by government.

According to the President, Dr. Frank Ankobeah, the association takes to concern the plight of Ghanaians as there is a poor ration in terms of doctor to patient ratio in the country.

Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that they could not understand why those medical officers have not been employed.

Ghana still suffers from the poor doctor-patient ratio, some trained doctors and dentists are wasting away at home.

"The current ratio between a doctor and patient is 1:8000 per Region and 1:30,000 per patient which affects the health care delivery in country," he added.

"The GMA is gravely concerned about the creeping incident of unemployment of medical doctors and dentists in the country in spite of the fact that Ghana still suffers from abysmal doctor to patient ratio."

According to the Ghana Medical Association, the Ministry of Health has failed to work on the issue, citing lack of financial clearance as a hindrance.

But Dr. Frank Ankobeah says the explanation by the government is unacceptable.

"The GMA takes very serious view of this development and would like to state that the citing of lack of financial clearance as the reason for non-posting of medical doctors and dentists by the Ministry of Health is not acceptable and the denial of healthcare to the Ghanaian.

"We are appealing to the government to immediately employ these officers," he added.

However, Director General of the Ghana health service, Dr. Nsiah Asare says government is putting in measures to have the doctors employed.

He said on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme that latest by next year, all the Doctors will be employed.