Cardio Doctors call off strike after Mills' visit

Accra, Aug. 31, GNA - Doctors and staff at the Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on Tuesday evening called off their two-day strike.

On Monday they embarked on a strike to protest against the termination of the appointment of Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the brain behind the establishment of the Centre. Among other things the doctors were demanding that the Centre was run as an autonomous body.

Earlier, President Mills paid a surprise visit to the centre when the doctors were engaged in a meeting to decide their next action. President Mills who was welcomed to the meeting told the striking doctors his mission there: 93I decided just to come and then see how things are going, and to see things for myself. That is why I am here."

As a human institution, President Mills conceded that their action which followed the dismissal was not out of the blue, remarking that he 93understood things the way they were" as he saw on television. He appealed to the doctors to uphold the tradition of the centre, which is acclaimed as one of the best cardiothoracic centres in Africa, noting that 93tradition is no tradition if it is not maintained".

President Mills said the nation cherished their work as 93very valuable" and appealed to them to ensure that the centre was not affected by the incident, trusting them to deliver 93quality service" as they are well noted for. The plea, he noted, was his 93major concern".

He reiterated that his 93surprise" visit to the centre was to 93le= t you know that we are concerned", and to demonstrate the commitment and willingness of the government to work with them to achieve his 93Better Ghana Agenda".

"My major concern is to make sure that whatever has to be done is done quickly, so that those who come for treatment, that is the fresh cases will be attended to, that is my concern, and I would want to appeal to you, that perhaps, to quicken the pace of deliberation so that the many people who have reposed confidence in this centre, the many people who can swear by this centre, are not disappointed in the end, thank you."

Dr Lawrence Sereboe, Senior Cardiothoracic Surgeon, and Spokesperson for the doctors, assured President Mills that the situation would be managed in the best interest of the centre. "We are still in discussion, it is the best of this centre we have in mind, it is the best interest of our country that we have in mind, and we want to take the right decision so that our patients do not suffer."

Doctors and staff at the Centre on Monday suspended all elective operations and clinics, the first such action since its inauguration 22 years ago.

The Out-Patient Department was empty on Tuesday and no new cases were being seen. During a visit there, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) was informed that patients on admission are, however, being attended to. Dr Frank Edwin, a cardio surgeon said on Monday, they petitioned President Mills to revoke the decision of the Minister of Health, Mr Joseph Yiele Chireh, to terminate the appointment of Professor Frimpong-Boateng on Thursday, August 25, 2011.

A letter signed by senior staff of the Centre on August 26 said the basis of the Minister's decision was questioned by all Heads of Departments of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and also staff of the University of Ghana Medical School.

They said Prof. Frimpong-Boateng was directing the next generation of leaders at the Centre in an effort to expand the facility to manage the increased national and regional demands.