Doctors threaten indefinite strike if...

Doctors at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on Wednesday renewed their threat to go on an indefinite strike if by today, Friday, July 6, government has not paid their Additional Duty Hour (ADH) allowance for the month of May.

Some doctors the GNA spoke to said they cannot accept reduction in the allowance and "the earlier government tops up the money the better it will be for us all".

Mr Fred Dugbazah, Public Relations Officer of the hospital said cheques have been signed for payment " but since the doctors refused to collect them we are all waiting for the additional 400 million cedis from the Ministry of Finance to top up"

The payment of the ADH has been a problem for the Ministry of Health. A high-powered government delegation on Monday began a closed-door meeting with members of the Ghana Medical Association to discuss the problem following a strike by the doctors to demand the full payment of their allowances for May.

The Ministry had given the hospital administration 1.1 billion cedis to effect payment to deserving health workers but the doctors described it as inadequate.

Claims submitted exceeded the amount, compelling the hospital management to reduce the number of hours for which the payment was to be made.

Dr Holdbrook Smith the Hospital Administrator said earlier the additional 400 million cedis expected from the Finance Ministry would help resolve the crisis.

He said this is a short-term solution but government is looking into the whole salary structure of health workers to find a long-term solution.