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The National Labour Commission (NLC) has ordered the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to “take steps to call off” its strike “immediately” after meeting the striking doctors and representatives of the government.

In a statement issued by the acting Executive Secretary of the NLC Dr Bernice Welbeck, the Commission also directed that “both parties, government and GMA should resume negotiations immediately and report to the Commission on Monday, 24th August 2015 at 4pm.”

The NLC met the employer of the striking doctors through the Ministries of Health, Employment and Labour Relations, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Ghana Health Service and the GMA Wednesday to settle the standoff between the two parties.

Ghanaian doctors at public health institutions are aggrieved and have hanged their stethoscopes over the past three weeks over their conditions of service.

The medical practitioners say until they sign their conditions of service they are not ready to return to the wards and theaters, but the government has pulled out of negotiations, saying the strike is illegal.

To ensure an effective negotiation, the Commission has also directed the government and the doctors to “cease all media engagements forthwith.”

Meanwhile, a government ultimatum to the striking doctors to return to work ends Thursday, 20th August, but the doctors insist they are not ready to budge on their decision.