Withdrawing Our Salaries Won�t Kill Us � Doctors

Government’s decision to not to pay striking doctors may exacerbate the turmoil in the health sector. This is because; the doctors are unfazed by the decision to freeze their salaries for the period they stay away from work, according to the President of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Frank Ankobia. Members of the GMA have been on strike some two weeks now over stalled negotiations on conditions of service.

The Ministry of Employment in its bid to get the doctors to call of their strike in a statement directed all heads of government establishments where workers have embarked on illegal (partial or full) strike actions to compile and submit to their respective Ministers of State the list of workers who have been absenting themselves from work as a result of a strike or protest. "The compiled lists are to be submitted to the Ministry of Finance on or before Friday August 14, 2015 for necessary action." But speaking on Asempa FM Thursday, Dr. Ankobia said they will not die without their salaries.

He indicated that their families are ready to fend for them should government carryout the threat. “For 11 good months our junior doctors were not paid and yet they lived so why do they think we can survive” he quizzed. The Ashanti region GMA boss said the association will meet on Friday, August 14 to decide whether to resign en mass or return to work. Dr. Ankobia urged all doctors to be resolute as they fight for better conditions of service.