Doctors deny refusing to negotiate with FWSC

Koforidua, Oct.11 GNA - The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) on Tuesday refuted allegations that it was refusing to negotiate with the Fair Wages and Salary Commission (FWSC).

The GMA rather accused the FWSC of distorting the grading structure of health workers based on the job re-evaluation. Speaking at a press conference in Koforidua the Chairman of the Eastern Region GMA, Dr Edward Frimpong-Boateng, said since last year December when the job re-evaluation of workers in the Health Sector was completed, the FWSC had not made any serious efforts to migrate doctors unto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS). He said the GMA had requested the Commission to provide evidence of movement of doctors onto the SSSS and to indicate when it would be paying them their 20 months back pay.

Dr Frimpong-Boateng said doctors did not benefit from the recent 20 percent salary increase for all public workers. He said the GMA gave two weeks' notice that if the issues it raised with regard to the movement of doctors unto the SSSS were not resolved the association would go on strike but the FWSC did not take the warning serious.

Dr Frimpong-Boateng said the consulting rooms of some medical officers at the Out-Patient Department (OPD) of the Koforidua Regional Hospital were opened because it was only medical doctors who had laid down their tools and that other health workers were on duty and need to have access to the consulting rooms. Dr Frimpong-Boateng said though the medical doctors at the hospital were on strike, they were taking care of critically ill patients and those on admission before the strike action.