GMA NEWS CONFAB

          The Ghana Medical Association has given the government by the end of May to resolve the matter of Conversion Difference and Reduced Pension contribution due doctors which has been outstanding since November 2011. It said if this is not done by the stipulated deadline, the Association will kick start series of steps that would definitely disturb the current industrial harmony in health care delivery. The ultimatum was given at a news conference at the end of the Association’s 2^nd National Executive Council Meeting for this year at Akyawkrom near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region. It was held after the National Executive Council had met and deliberated on issues including the Conversion Difference and reduced pensions, Tier 2 Pension, Health Bill 2015, Management of House Officers and Conditions of Service for Doctors in the Public Health Sector. The President of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr. KwabenaOpoku-Adusei emphasized that doctors in the public sector continue to suffer from reduced pensions due to the unwillingness of government to pay the Conversion Difference due them. Hence, the May 31 deadline to government toresolve the matter. He emphasized that the Association will not be cowed into submission by any attempt by government to use court processes as a refuge to avoid its obligations towards doctors in the public sector, as done in the past and will fiercely resist this. Dr. Opoku-Adusei also expressed the Association’s dissatisfaction about the manner in which the management of housemanship training is currently being handled in the country. He said doctors who started house job seven months ago have still not been paid their salaries. Posting of most second year house officers is still also in limbo, which implies that these doctors have no idea where to continue with their training. Dr. Opoku-Adusei noted with concern that about 150 doctors who completed medical school last year and were inducted in January this year, are still at home unemployed in a country where patient-doctor ratio is still more that 10 thousand is to one. The Ghana Medical Association therefore calls on the Ministry of Health, Medical and Dental Council and government to take a critical look at management of housemanship training of doctors in the country and address the pressing issues that are frustrating young doctors and health care delivery in the country.