A former Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosah has condemned the recent strike by doctors across the country.
On July 30,2015 the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) declared a nationwide strike that left many patients stranded at various hospitals while others died in the process.
The GMA’s decision to embark on an industrial action was hinged on government’s failure to deliver their conditions of service.
[contextly_sidebar id=”qFLqCfsYmu25Wel394MMeZrjvOZPcwx6″]Some quasi-government hospitals were under extreme pressure from the increasing number of patients who thronged the facilities to seek medical care as a result of the strike in the major health facilities.
Data compiled by the Health Insurance Service Providers Association of Ghana (HISPAG) claimed that about 500 people died during the period doctors laid down their tools, but the GMA have rubbished the claims.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show however, Prof. Akosah stated that doctors should have resorted to a “better way” of having their concerns addressed.
“Whatever the issues doctors have, we should have a better way of resolving it. The woman or man at the line has nothing to do with better conditions of service. I am dead against doctors going on strike. We must find solution to their problems.”
“I come from a position that at no time should a strike take place.We must learn best practice from best practice. There is a reason why patients go and see doctors and the doctor will then issue the necessary instructions and all the other professional groupings would act on those instructions. It[strike] does not in any other way demean any professional grouping,” he stated.
Doctor to Patient ratio alarming
Responding to other questions from the Citi Breakfast Show host, Bernard Avle, the pathologist also expressed concerns over what he described as poor health care delivery system in Ghana, saying the huge numbers doctors treat daily reduces the quality of health care they give.
The Pathologist believes a “disconnect” between those who teach doctors and practitioners or managers of the health sector has partly contributed to the challenge.
According to him, though the normal doctor to patient ratio should be 1 to 5,000 patients many health care institutions have been compelled to “increase the ratio to 1 to 10,000 or 11,000” due to limited resources.
Click on audio to listen to Prof. Akosah
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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah