Doctors Still Treating Emergency Cases - GMA

Although Out-Patient Departments in hospitals across the country are closed due to the strike by doctors, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) insists members are still attending to emergency cases.

According to the President of the GMA Dr. Kwabena Adusei Poku, cases which are brought to the OPD and are deemed serious enough to require medical attention would be treated.

'We are not striking. It is only the OPD that is not open. The hospital is functioning, The Out Patients Emergency unit is working, the theaters are working and the labour wards are working. On Saturday, there were 10 women in labour and 3 had delivered when I got to the hospital and there were about 4 caesarean sections,' Dr. Kwabena Adusei Poku clarified.

The standoff between the Government and the striking doctors has raised serious concerns about its impact on healthcare delivery in the country.

However Dr. Adusei Poku told Citi News that the situation is not as dire as is being portrayed.

'What we issued out was that we are not doing out patient departments - those who are not very sick. There are teams all over the place who sort them out and call the doctors in emergency situations. It is not true that we are not working at all. We have two areas in our out patient departments. The emergency OPD is still working. Those who go to the other OPD, if their situation is deemed serious or they need emergency care, they are referred to the Emergency OPD which is close by.'

War of Words
Leaked copies of the doctor's condition of service demands were published by the media and have generated a massive debate about whether the doctors deserve what they are asking for.

In an interview on Friday, the GMA's General Secretary Frank Serebour took on a communicator from the NDC after he suggested that the Ghanaian were 'tired of doctors.'

Dr. Serebour's response considered by many observers to be insulting has received mixed reaction from the public - some of whom claim he went too far and others who it was understandable given the issues faced by the doctors.

Source: Citifmonline.com