Doctors rescind decision to withdraw emergency services

XYZ News can authoritatively report that striking public medical Doctors have rescinded their decision to withdraw emergency services starting Monday April 15, 2013.

The Doctors however will persist with their withdrawal of services to new Out-Patients.

The decision followed a crunch meeting by the National Executive Council of the Ghana Medical Association in Accra on Sunday April 14, 2013.

The meeting largely focused on the government’s proposal toward paying the accrued market premium arrears of the Doctors.

The softening of their stance follows numerous pleas from the Clergy, the National House of Chiefs among a raft of other revered groups and individuals to suspend the strike for the sake of innocent patients.

The Doctors began their strike on Monday April 8, 2013, in demand for their market premium arrears which have been outstanding since 2012.

They are also demanding a correction of their pension contribution anomalies.

Denial of medical services to new Out-patients was meant to be the first phase of the strike for a week.

The second phase would have been the withdrawal of emergency services which would have started on Monday but for their decision to soften their stance.

The Doctors strike coincided with that of the Government Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) in demand of their accrued salary arrears and market premium as negotiated by the FWSC.

Incidentally, University Teachers have also been on strike for the past two weeks.