Public hospitals resume full operations

Public health facilities are expected to resume full operations as per the directive of the Minister of Health despite the strike by doctors.

Dr Alex Segbefia on Tuesday, August 18 directed all heads of those facilities to resume full operations from Wednesday as government persuades the striking doctors to return to work.

The doctors have withdrawn emergency and outpatient department services in protest against – what they claim is – the non-existence of service conditions.

Negotiations between the leadership of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) – the mother body of the doctors – and government have broken down as the two parties accuse each other of bad faith.

While government has called the action by the doctors illegal, the doctors, on the other hand, accuse government of instigating public sentiments against them through propaganda.

The situation has left many patients to suffer as most public hospitals turn them away.

Government, therefore, directed patients to quasi-government hospitals for healthcare while those with health insurance were asked to visit some private facilities for care.

The Health Minister called on doctors to resume work, failure of which they will forfeit their salaries.

He also indicated that some doctors are working.

So, the strike is not nationwide; he pointed out.

Cuban doctors, as well as retired professionals, have also been asked to help.