Members of the Junior Veterinary Surgeons Association, are asking the Ministry of Agriculture and the Veterinary Council to post them to enable them resume work.
They are also demanding the payment of their allowances which are in arrears.
Members of the Association are livid over what they say is the calculated attempt to delay the posting of three batches of veterinary doctors.
About forty-five of the affected doctors are also yet to receive their allowances after completing their housemanship in 2016.
The Treasurer of the Association, Dr. Emmanuel Koduah, told Citi News a further delay will compel them to resort to other legal means to get their grievances addressed.
[contextly_sidebar id=”3AgHUJyBSQAmntUn6hmI5fWJGewVXhtp”]“They are supposed to give us our license but they are aloof . They are not responding to anything just because they felt that we threatened them that if they do not respond to us , we will hit the courts about the whole issue. The leaders of the Council became angry that we wanted to exercise our franchise.”
“We wrote a letter to them and they told us that yes, we have a case, but our letter was not strong enough. We are not giving any ultimatum, but they should act with dignity. They should respect the position and call the doctors involved and post them.”
Attempts to get a response from the Veterinary Council and the Agric Ministry have so far been unsuccessful.
Ghana has only 32 practicing veterinary doctors – Council
It appears the Veterinary Council has been battling with a few challenges for sometime now.
The Veterinary Council of Ghana had earlier appealed to the government to resource the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Veterinary Medicine, to improve its infrastructure and faculty to advance veterinary training, research and healthcare delivery.
Dr. Jonathan Amakye-Anim, Chairman of the Council, said this was urgent since the country currently had only 32 certified practicing veterinary doctors.
He said at least 200 of such practitioners were needed to enhance effective veterinary care for the benefit of the nation.
Dr. Amakye-Anim, who was addressing an oath-swearing and induction ceremony for the School of Medical Sciences, Dental School and the School of Veterinary Medicine of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, called for a change in attitude towards veterinary education.
“About 70 per cent of all human diseases emanates from animals,” he noted, stressing that given the current shortage of veterinary doctors, it would be difficult for the country to effectively deal with the emerging challenges such as the outbreak of more sophisticated animal-related diseases.
Frustrated jobless Doctor writes to Citi FM, cries over neglect
Aside veterinary doctors, some trained, but unemployed doctors have questioned the efforts of the Health and Finance Ministries in absorbing them into the public service.
Some 245 doctors, who graduated in 2014, indicated that all efforts to secure financial clearance for their absorption have proved futile, while many hospitals lack doctors, putting the lives of patients at risk.
In a heartfelt petition to Citi News to highlight their plight, a doctor, John-Diego Kosoe, lamented the dire situation of his colleagues who are idle.
This, according to Mr. Kosoe has even compelled some doctors to leave Ghana for greener pastures.
The petitioner noted that, “out of frustration, I know 3 of my colleagues who contracted huge personal loans and left the country for Germany, just to hustle out there, to do German language courses and get absorbed into their system.”
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By: Marian Ansah & Pius Amihere Duku/citifmonline.com/Ghana