In a statement signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Anthony K Ameka, the Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana, said that the breakdown in negotiations comes at a point when the services of pharmacists are needed critically.

“The Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana sees the breakdown in  negotiations between the parties as most unfortunate, especially at the time when the services of one of the most critical essential service provider (The Pharmacists) are needed to advance our national health goals.”

The chamber has therefore asked government and all stakeholders involved to address the concerns of GHOSPA in order to save lives.

“The Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana is, therefore, appealing to the Government and its negotiation team, the national leadership of GHOSPA and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to address these issues urgently and immediately. This is critical to save the lives of Ghanaians.”

“We are all appealing to members of the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) to consider their patients and cooperate for a swift resolution. To save lives and prevent the obvious unintended consequences of the strike action, we urge the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, The Ministry for Employment and Labour Relations and the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA to come together with a concrete deal to halt the strike action.”

The chamber also called on the Ministry of Health “to come up with strategies to refocus its policies and actions to forestall future strike actions within the sector to ensure continuous provision of quality, accessible, affordable and equitable health services for all Ghanaians, to better respond to emerging new diseases both nationally and internationally.”

The Chamber of Pharmacy Ghana, inaugurated in 2013, is a platform that seeks to promote, protect, pursue and advocate the collective interests of patients, its members, the pharmaceutical industry and the state.

GHOSPA members on strike

Members of the Government and Hospitals Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) declared on Monday, September 5, that they were commencing an indefinite strike to press home demands for changes to their market premiums.

According to the association, the decision to go on strike was due to the continuous breakdown of negotiations with the government over its grade structure and placement in public health facilities.

Two days into the strike, the National Labour Commission filed  a suit at the Labour Division of the High Court, seeking to compel striking pharmacists to call off their strike.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has ordered heads of pharmacy units in public health institutions to remain at post to ensure that the pharmacies are in operation.

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By: Jeffrey Owuraku Sarpong/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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