[ 2015-07-27 ]

Junior Doctors To Be Paid On Wednesday
Government has reached a deal with 91 junior
doctors who picketed at the Controller and
Accountant General’s Department in Accra
demanding the payment of 11 months’ salary.

At least 60 doctors will be paid by Wednesday,
details emerging from a Monday meeting with
Employment Minister Haruna Iddrisu indicate.

The remaining doctors will received all their
salary plus compensation in August 2015.

The Finance Minister Seth Terpker had said on Joy
FM’s Newsfile, the doctors will be paid in two
weeks, a promise which was rejected by the
doctors.

Another Friday deadline from government was also
rejected until the latest offer of Wednesday
payment for a majority of the doctors was
accepted.

Picking out the mood of the doctors since the deal
was clinched, Joy News’ Felix Akoyam says
majority of them are okay with the deal.

But the leaders have vowed they will return if
their accounts do not bulge with 11 months worth
of work by 4;30pm Wednesday. They say it will
signify a lack commitment on the part of
government to uphold the agreement.

The Junior doctors have not been paid since they
graduated from Medical school and began their
1-year Housemanship training with some government
hospitals across the country.

The unpaid 91 had followed up with their warning
last Friday that they will be stationed at the
CAGD Monday. They vowed not to leave until every
pesewa owed them was paid.

Donning their white garb, some of the doctors
visibly looked exasperated.

To measure the impact of the strike, Joy News
toured some selected hospitals. It showed a mixed
impact of the 91 doctors’ strike

Medical doctors at the Sunyani Government hospital
in the Brong Ahafo region are struggling to attend
to patients as the effect of the junior doctors
strike begins to bite. Fifteen junior doctors from
the hospital had joined the Accra picket.

The 17 specialists at the hospital have doubled
their workload by providing frontline medical
assistance as well as professional consultations.

“Without the junior doctors it will be very
difficult to attend to patients”, a specialist
told Joy News.

But at the Cape Coast government hospital, there
was little evidence that the strike has had a
biting effect.

Initially, a contingent at KATH numbering at least
92 were paid after threats to strike.

Left to their fate, the remaining contingent has
been battling government officials across the
Finance Ministry, Health Ministry and the
Controller and Accountant-General’s Department
to have their money paid.

Employment Minister Haruna Iddrisu at a crunch
meeting with the doctors sympathized with them,
noting the delays in paying them was unacceptable.

Source - Daily Guide

... go Back