The Ministry of Health has assured jobless junior doctors in the country that they will be posted soon.
According to the Ministry, it is in talks with the Finance Ministry to release funds for the doctor’s clearance and posting.
[contextly_sidebar id=”dBbBhDPxbREIDi6W65DiXoqalbJhMRar”]Speaking to Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, Robert Cudjoe, explained that “the policy of the government is that, they want the backlog to be cleared so that going forward, when our brothers and sisters complete their national service, they will be posted.”
Mr. Cudjoe added that, although the concerns of the unemployed doctors are legitimate, it is unfair to accuse the government of being inconsiderate to their plight.
“We are aware of the fact that there are still a few pending clearances that we are waiting to be given by finance, so for our brothers and sisters not to go through the normal process by getting closer and getting to know exactly what we are doing and all of a sudden going on air, I think it is not the best.”
Some doctors who are without work renewed calls to the government to urgently resolve the perennial issues that surround their absorption into the public health system.
The doctors, who completed their housemanship in 2017, have since not been absorbed by the Ghana Health Service, and according to them, this is largely due to the failure by the Ministry of Finance to grant them clearance.
Junior doctors seeking greener pastures
Amidst these problems, disillusioned junior doctors are seeking external opportunities because of the tedious processes within Ghana’s health sector.
The number of Ghanaian doctors in New York are reported to be almost equal or more than doctors in Ghana put together in Ghana.
According to the General Secretary of the Junior Doctors Association, Mawuena Hafeh, who disclosed this, he is also seeking for opportunities overseas.
“A lot of people are seeking opportunities outside the government sector because it seems like these days, it is quite difficult to work for the government. We seem to be practically begging all the time for the government to give financial clearance to begin working.”
“So there are opportunities out there which quite a number of doctors are now exploiting these days and these are not limited to travelling outside to work in other countries,” Dr. Hafeh said.
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By: Naa Kwarmah Siaw Marfo & Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana