Cape Coast (Central Region) 25 Jan.'99

Doctors will embark on another industrial action "without warning", if the government does not implement an agreement on remuneration for additional hours for public sector doctors and dentists, by March one, this year. The Central Regional Representative Board of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) reiterated the warning in a communiqu? adopted after the board, comprising members of the medical council, the regional chairmen and secretaries of the GMA, concluded a two-day first quarterly meeting at Cape Coast on Sunday. GMA's National President, Dr. J.K. Kwakye-Marfo, said although the medical profession demands that doctors work with a human face and ensure sound health for the people, doctors will lay down thier tools if they are not treated well. The communiqu? signed by Dr. Kwakye-Marfo and Dr Oheneba Owusu-Danso, honorary secretary to the board, urged the government as a matter of necessity and in the spirit of good co-operation, involve the GMA in all national health programmes and policies and to "respect and expedite action on the implementation of the agreement". The association suspended its industrial action on the understanding reached in the agreement with the government last year, the communique emphasised. It stressed the importance of setting up a third medical school at the University of Development Studies at Tamale to improve health care delivery. It called on the government to ensure "adequate and competent human resources and logistical support for the school to enable it to perform efficiently."