Sunyani:Physician Assistants In Regional,Municpal Hospitals Disregard Strike

Physician Assistants at the Brong Ahafo Regional Hospital as well as the Sunyani Municpal Hospital have defied a directive from the leadership of the Ghana Physician Assistants Association (GPAA) to embark on a nationwide strike.

A visit by Ark FM’s Reporter Nana Antwi Boasiako to the Regional Hospital, Sunyani revealed that Physician Assistants were at post and attending to patients including those at the Out Patient Department.

A Statement from the leadership of the GPAA directed “all physician assistants nationwide to effective Monday, 10th September 2018, withdraw all Out Patients Department (OPD) services as outlined in our road-map.”

The statement jointly signed by the Association’s President and acting General Secretary, Alhaji Chief Imoro Bandana II, and Peter Eyram Kuenyefu, said the decision has become necessary because government and the sector agencies “have not shown any commitment to resolve the numerous problems presented.”

The Association in the statement cited its main concerns as salary discrepancies, obsolete job description, poor conditions of service, career progression/advancement/specialization for physician assistants, financial clearance for both public and privately trained physician assistants, internship allowance, NHIS medicine list among others.

“All members are to adhere to the 1st phase of the earlier road-map outlined. Leadership will not entertain any form of intimidation of its members by superiors,” the statement warned.

The situation was however different when Ark FM’s Nhyiraba Osew and Rosemond Kissiwaa visited the at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital.

According to them Physician Assistants at the facility were attending to patients. They said they were not aware there was an ongoing strike.