The Health Workers’ Union (HWSU) on Thursday said the health sector could operate efficiently only on the principle of teamwork and urged government to listen to the demands of the Ghana Federation of Allied Health Professions (GFAHP).

It said if a category of health staff gets the wrong signal that they were being segregated and discriminated against, their contributions towards quality health service delivery might be affected.

This was contained in a statement issued and jointly signed by Mr Reynolds O. Tenkorang, General Secretary of HWSU and Mr Franklin Owusu-Ansah, the Deputy General Secretary of HWSU respectively on the intended strike action by GFAHP.

For some time now, members of the GFAHP, who are members of the HWSU, have been demanding for the appointment and the inauguration of the Allied Health Professions Council Governing Board, following its dissolution after the government assumed power in 2017.

According to HWSU, except the Allied Health Professions Governing Board, almost all other State Boards and Councils have been appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who is the Appointing Authority, and subsequently inaugurated. “Again, the Ministry of Health has drafted a Bill to amend the Ghana Health Service and Teaching Hospitals Act 1996 (Act 525), changing the composition of Board members of the Teaching Hospital. “There are four Governing Councils under the Ministry of Health namely, Medical and Dental Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Pharmacy Council and Allied Health Professions Councils,” It said.

“The other three health professions, which constitute 18 professional groupings such as the Physiotherapists, Dieticians, Medical Laboratory Scientists, among others. To this end, the Union has submitted its proposal to Parliament for the inclusion of the Allied Health Professions in the Bill.”

The statement said in the view of the Union, the government and the state agencies concerned, were capable of resolving the matter to avoid the intended strike actions by May 28, which would largely affect innocent Ghanaians.

“We are aware that some engagements are going on between some government agencies and the Association but this has not yielded result. We, therefore, call on the Council of State, Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to expedite action by resolving the above two important matters expeditiously to curb the intended action for Ghanaians to continue to enjoy the needed quality health delivery.”