Cape Coast, June 9, GNA - All health workers in Cape Coast have joined the nationwide strike embarked on by paramedics and junior doctors to back their demand for salary increases. Only members of the Cape Coast Municipal Health Workers Group (HWG) based at the Central Regional Hospital, which is a referral hospital, are on duty.

When the GNA visited the regional hospital at about 0900hours, it found out that the Out Patients Department (OPD), was busy, with patients being attended to, with the paramedics going about their normal businesses.

However, it was a different story at the Ewim Health Centre, where it was deserted and the gates locked up.

When the GNA managed to enter the premises, it was told by the security man on duty that, he has been turning patients away because the health workers were on strike.

At the OPD, a notice reading, "don't give card- strike" had been posted, while a lone woman sat watching television. The situation was also no different at the Cape Coast District Hospital, where patients were seen at the main gate desperately looking for vehicles to convey them to other health centres, due to the strike action.

Mr Emmanuel Kwabena Gyamfi, administrator of the hospital, confirmed that members of the HWG were also on strike and said their executives were attending a meeting at the regional hospital. He said the hospital was only attending to those on admission and to emergency cases, and that patients who were fit, were being discharged. He, however, appealed to the government to endeavour to implement what was due the HWG and junior doctors, "because what is happening now is not helping anybody". June, 9 06