UFP�s Gen. Secretary Sues Striking Doctors

General Secretary of the United Front Party [UFP], Listowell Nana Kusi-Poku, has filed a writ at an Accra High Court seeking a declaration that the strike embarked upon by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) is illegal.

The plaintiff is also seeking an order from the court directed at the GMA to call off its strike and a perpetual injunction to restrain doctors from ever embarking on a strike or a partial withdrawal of services - the writ, dated August 6, 2015.

In an interview with Peacefmonline.com Listowell noted that, one of the philosophies of the GMA was that “health is a right and must be made accessible, equitable, affordable, appropriate and safe at all times to all the people in Ghana”.

However, in a statement of claim, the plaintiff said – “Like any other Ghanaian, he found the announcement of the doctors’ strike very disturbing in view of the crucial role medical doctors’ play in any nation’s life”.

The statement also noted that, since every Ghanaian was entitled to access health services within the terms of the law, by embarking upon a strike, the GMA had denied or curtailed the right of Ghanaians.

The Ghana Medical Association withdrew their services to outpatients as one of the steps to force the hand of government to negotiate fairly on their members' conditions of service which include fuel and clothing allowance.

Nonetheless, Listowell Nana Kusi-Poku had earlier told condemned the strike saying – “Government should not heed to doctors' unthinkable request”.