Sickening Propaganda

The no-love-lost relationship between doctors and government has suffered further decline in the past few days.

Although junior doctors following their first-time picketing at the offices of the Controller and Accountant General's Department in Accra and the subsequent agreement that they shelve their action, albeit temporarily, as work commences on their demand have sheathed their swords, not so, however, their seniors.

Yesterday the intermittent withdrawal and resumption of services by the senior doctors was witnessed once more when the ladies and gentleman put down their stethoscopes.

Sincerity has never been part of negotiations between the two sides since the doctors asked government to act on the shortcomings of their work, especially the absence of conditions of service.

A few days ago, we had cause to visit this subject hoping that at the end of the day a positive action would be taken to obviate the glaring inconvenience that would be triggered by an industrial action by doctors in public service.

Unfortunately, as in all challenges, when they are in their embryonic stages where nipping them in the bud would be in the best interest of all, our entreaty was ignored as though daring the medics. Now we are at the bridge and indeed crossing it with negative effects.

Public health facilities are virtually in a lockdown. Members of the public, especially the wretched of the earth, are suffering the fallouts more than those who can easily fly out when second opinions are sought for their health challenges.

Even in the best of times public health facilities are unable to cater for most people in need of attention. The withdrawal of services by doctors can only aggravate an already bad medical delivery system which has witnessed an almost collapsed national health insurance programme.

Sincerity, as we have always noted, is what is needed when negotiations remain the best options. Even the junior doctors who have extended their ultimatum after being spoken to only obliged with a pinch of salt, their doubts informed by experience from dashed assurances from the government side.

It is not good when one party in a dispute loses confidence in the other's ability to be sincere with their pledges.

If only government could spare this rather delicate and critical subject the wicked machinations of their propagandists who have gotten to work on it already, the country would stand to gain.

The propagandists, with the tacit approval of their employers, it would appear, seek to make the doctors look foolish and as persons who do not have the nation's interest at heart. What is the objective of publishing the remuneration of doctors in public services as was done a few days ago?

What has this disclosure in the media got to do with the national quest for an amicable resolution to the impasse?

Would they in the same vein publish their remunerations and allowances? Certainly not, we can bet.