Cape Coast, Oct. 10, GNA - Medical doctors at the Central Regional Hospital held an emergency meeting on Monday apparently to discuss issues concerning the failure of the Fair Wages and salaries Commission to migrate them onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS). Efforts by the Ghana News Agency to find out the outcome of the four-hour meeting yielded no results as the doctors failed to disclose anything.

At the Hospital's Out Patients Department (OPD) at about 1000 hours, patients with folders who were waiting to be served were told by the staff that the unit system to access their National Health Insurance had broken down. The disappointed patients had to leave while others carried their folders to and fro in frustration. Those who visited the eye clinic were however seen at the dispensary purchasing drugs.

The paramedics and nurses who were at post went about their normal duties but by 1300 hours the OPD was virtually empty. Dr Kofi Sarbeng, Medical Director at the Hospital, refused to comment on the issue when contacted. At the Cape Coast Metropolitan Hospital, patients were being attended to by nurses as at about 1400 hours when the GNA visited. The Hospital Administrator, Mr David Kwamifoli, said he had just returned from Accra and did not know the situation on the ground. The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) on Saturday directed its members t= o lay down their tools to press home its demand for placement onto the SSSS.