A former Registrar of the Ghana Medical and Dental Council, Dr. Elikplim Atikpui has called for dialogue in resolving the impasse between the Physician Assistant Association and the Ghana Medical and Dental Association.

His call comes on the back of the Physician Assistants Association’s decision to suspend the renewal of their licenses with the Ghana Medical and Dental Council effective next year 2023.

In a press conference, the Physician Assistants Association enumerated reasons for their decision including what they described as unfair treatment by the Medical and Dental Council.

According to them, there has not been any improvement in their lives since they joined the Council, citing a lack of career progression in their profession.

But, the former registrar of the Council said the only way to resolve the issue is through dialogue.

“When you look at the Board of the Medical and Dental Council apparently, the physician assistant and the certified registered anesthetists are represented. If you look at the law on the Health Regulatory Profession Body ACT 2013, ACT 857 there is a provision that has been made specifically, apart from other Committees that we should have a Physician Assistant Committee.

“I am sure that with the current board, there is a sub-committee that takes care of issues specifically concerning physician assistants or certified anesthetists. I am sure that if they have continued or done exhaustive discussion, deliberations or done good dialogue we wouldn’t be in this collision,” Mr. Atikpui opined on Starr News.

He continued: “But I think that it’s an issue that the Ministry of Health should be able to take care of and I expect the Ministry of Health should really come out with some specific things.”

The former registrar however added that the laws say individuals are supposed to renew their registration before 31st December and the names of members Gazetted by 31st of January.

“What I may want to plead is that we should not take entrenched positions because once that is done it is the lives of the Ghanaian that is going to be at risk.

“I am really surprised by the fact that they said they are canceling the registration or they are withdrawing their registration with the Medical and Dental Council. I found that quite unfortunate.”