Public Hospitals Expected To Provide Full Services From Today

Government has directed the management of all public health institutions to ensure they are fully functional on Wednesday. 

It has also directed the management of the hospitals to submit names of all doctors who fail to report to work on Wednesday. 

These directives were given by the Minister of Health, Alex Segbefia at a news conference in Accra on Tuesday. 

He directed all heads of facilities to ensure that their facilities resume the provision of full range of health services and monitor and provide weekly updates on which health workers are at post to the minister's office. 

The Minister said effective Thursday all members of the GMA who fail to resume full duty shall be considered being on strike and in clear breach of the labour act. 

Meanwhile, a retired Reverend Minister of the A.M.E Zion Church, Reverend Martin Vanderpuije says the action by the medical doctors is not healthy for the country in view of all the measures being taken to ensure quality health for all citizens. 

The Rev Vanderpuije who is the chairman and Life Patron of a grass root think tank, known as EL VATT Association asked the striking doctors not to put monetary consideration above the precious lives of patients. 

Rev Vanderpuije noted that the demands by the striking doctors will take some time for Government to make projections to meet them. 

Meanwhile, some doctors at the Tema Polyclinic and General Hospitals seem to have returned to work three weeks into their strike, demanding better conditions of Service. 

A visit to the Hospitals Tuesday morning revealed that activities have returned to normal. 

At the Tema Polyclinic, the normal queue at consultation rooms was seen. Most doctors’ parking lots at the hospital were occupied. 

Also all departments were opened and nurses at the Out Patient Department were busy with patients checking their weight and blood pressure. 

Some patients at the Polyclinic expressed happiness with the return of some of the doctors, hoping that by close of week all of the doctors will return. 

At the Tema General Hospital, the place was not as busy as the Tema Polyclinic, since few patients were seen waiting at the OPD.

GBC