We Will Withdraw Out Patient Department (OPD) Services From 30th July If... - GMA

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has resolved to withdraw their Out of Patient Department (OPD) and Emergency services beginning from Thursday July 30 to Thursday August 13, 2015.

The GMA has given government a month ultimatum to address concerns regarding their conditions of service.

The Association early Monday morning disclosed that the government has declined to improve upon their conditions of service despite several consultations.

The Association threatened, during its third National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Cape Coast on 31st May, 2015 to resign if the members did not have a negotiated and signed conditions of service by the end of June 2015.

In a statement released by President of the Association, Dr. K. Opoku-Adusei, the Ghana Medical Association will activate as part of the implementation strategy of its decision "total withdrawal of services including in-patient care from 14th August 2015 culminating finally in the mass resignation of all members of the GMA working in the Public Health Sector."

Read full statement below:


GHANA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED AT THE END OF AN EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF THE GHANA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (GMA) HELD ON 29TH JUNE, 2015 AT THE GHANA COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS, ACCRA, GREATER ACCRA REGION


In a communiqué issued at the end of the 56th Annual General Conference (AGC) of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) on 9th November 2014 in Takoradi, Western Region, the GMA drew the attention of government to the fact that its members working with the Ministry of Health (Ghana Health Service/Teaching Hospitals) were without conditions of services.

A deadline of 30th June, 2015 was given to government to ensure that doctors in the public sector have a negotiated and signed Conditions of Service document.

The GMA in that communiqué indicted that if by the end of this deadline the Conditions of Service document is not secured, all the affected doctors shall consider themselves unemployed (Resign en bloc).

Member at the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting today 29th June, 2015 deliberated on the absence of a signed Conditions of Service document for doctors in the public sector and the 30th June, 2015 deadline, decided on the following:

1. That the 30th June, 2015 deadline be moved to 29th July, 2015 at 18:00 hours GMT.

2. That if after 18:00 hours GMT on 29th July, 2015, negotiations have not been completed and the Conditions of Service document duly signed, the following road map shall be activated as part of the implementation strategy of our Takoradi decision:

i. Withdrawal of Out Patient Department (OPD) services from 30th July - 6th August 2015.

ii. Withdrawal of both OPD and Emergency Services from 7th - 13the August 2015.

iii. Total withdrawal of services including in-patient care from 14th August 2015 culminating finally in the mass resignation of all members of the GMA working in the Public Health Sector.

Members arrived at afore mentioned, taking into consideration that the following have taken place:

a. Agreed and signed Framework for Negotiating Conditions of Service for Ghana Public Sector Health Workforce (26th June, 2015)

b. Ground rules for negotiations agreed and signed between government and Ghana Medical Association (28th June, 2015)

c. Negotiations started today 29th June, 2015.



Signed

Dr. K. Opoku-Adusei
(President)


Dr. Frank Serebour
(General Secretary)