General News of Monday, 6 February 2023

Source: classfmonline.com

GA/R: Korle-Bu doctors suspend strike

The doctors had threatened to strike over non-payment of their 13th-month salary arrears The doctors had threatened to strike over non-payment of their 13th-month salary arrears

Scores of doctors at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in the Greater Accra Region have suspended their intended withdrawal of services over the non-payment of their 13th-month salary arrears.

The doctors earlier threatened to withdraw services to the Outpatient Department (OPD) as well as elective surgeries and procedures at the hospital from February 6-10 if management does not come up with a clear roadmap for payment of the arrears.

They warned that emergencies would be refused till all in-patients are discharged if nothing was heard from management from February 13.

The Chairman of the Korle-Bu Doctors Association, Dr Frank Owusu-Sekyere, speaking in an interview said the withdrawal of services which was to begin today, February 6, has been suspended following an agreed timeline with management for the payment of the salary arrears.

According to him, “management came out with a letter spelling out the timelines they think they can pay the rest of the arrears.

“So we just had a meeting as an association, and we have agreed to the timelines management has given praying that they will stick to their side of the bargain, so there is no threat to it before it is paid.

"So come the end of March, 25 percent of the arrears will be paid and then by end of June, another 25 percent will be paid,” he said.