MOH violating doctors' rights - Bagbin

Ghana’s minority group in Parliament has criticised the decision of the Ministry of Health to withhold certificates of the country’s new doctors as a means of stemming the alarming exodus of the young doctors.

The NDC minority described the decision as shocking and “a clear violation of the rights of graduates” and called on the ministry to rescind the decision immediately.

“The decision is desperate and ad hoc, and smacks of an admission of an administration that appears overwhelmed by the challenges of governing, the statement signed by Minority leader, Alban Bagbin said.

The minority advises the government to deal with the systematic causes of the exodus of doctors and other professionals, rather than just attacking the symptoms.

Deputy Health Minister, Moses Dani Baah, reportedly announced the decision that the ministry as from next year, will withhold certificates of new graduates from the medical schools for three years, to stem the exodus of young doctors in search of greener pastures.

The minority said it was sad that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which made “a campaign issue of access to health care and promised so many miracles in the health sector, almost one year into its term of office, failed to deliver and has, instead, resorted to holding medical graduates hostage.”

Meanwhile, the ministry has denied taking such a decision.