We Take No Delight In Embarking On A Strike Action - Doctors

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has rejected claims there are a cruel bunch of individuals bent on holding the country to ransom with the demands. The Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the GMA, Dr. Ernest Yorke, says as professionals trained to save lives they derive no pleasure on embarking on a strike action whiles patients suffer. According to him, doctors are not enthused about the current situation where innocent could be lost but had to resort to this move because government simply ignored their concerns. Reacting to comments by the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper on Peace FM�s Kokrokoo that their strike action is a betrayal of trust considering the perks associated with their jobs, Dr Ernest Yorke was categorical that �no doctor in Ghana enjoys a condition of service.� According to him, contrary to the perception and belief of the public, doctors pay for every service they receive at the various hospitals they are stationed. �Doctors pay for their own medical services and for that of their families even though they work in the hospital�so doctors are not given any preferential treatment by government�therefore it is with deep regret that we decided to take this particular decision,� he said. He revealed that when the Fair Wages and Salary Commission (FWSC) first came out with the grading of their salary structure, they realised to their chagrin that that a chunk of their wages had been slashed but several complaints to the FWSC went unheeded. �We are not doing this with any ill-motives�we are ready to go back to the negotiation table�doctors in Ghana are very under-paid and people will be surprised if we let them in on the details of how bad things are,� he said.