Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has urged the government to prioritise enhancing the conditions of service for its members, aligning them with the demands of their profession.
The Association has specifically called for measures to guarantee the well-being and security of its members, both during and after their active service.
During the 65th General Meeting of the Association on Monday, Dr. Frank Serebour, the President of GMA, stressed the importance of shielding members from workplace hazards and ensuring compensation for such incidents.
“Our pensions must be secured after we have sacrificed our bodies, minds, and souls in our service. We require adequate logistics and an enabling environment to maintain our mental and physical well-being so that we can effectively care for the population.
“Retirement on a full salary is not an unreasonable demand. The vehicle importation tax waiver for health workers should be reinstated immediately.”
“We should not be made to pay the ultimate price of losing our lives and homes in our quest to care for the vulnerable. Someone must care for the health worker. Our reward is not in heaven but here on planet Earth. What we are asking for is not an impossibility. We appreciate some urgency from the FWSC,” he stated.
Dr. Serebour emphasised that any delays in improving working conditions for doctors would not be acceptable.
He further underscored that the association would appreciate the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission expeditiously resolving the matter by advocating for a salary increase, given that it has been overdue.
“Any delays will not be tolerated, and we will demand the full implementation of any agreed-upon terms to be effective in January 2024. Even as we negotiate, the existing conditions of service are still in force; hence, the implementation of any aspect of the document that becomes due will be demanded by the GMA, as was done for the non-basic allowance,” Dr Serebour added.
The Deputy Minister for Finance, Abena Osei Asare, acknowledged that efforts are underway to address the association’s demands.
“I want to assure you that we have made some progress and very soon the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission will be calling a meeting to kick-start the operationalization of your new conditions of service,” she stated.