Ghana Physician Assistants Association Outlines Roadmap To Strike

The Ghana Physician Assistants Association has laid out a roadmap toward a planned industrial action at the end of this month.

Before a total strike action, there will be a gradual withdrawal of their services across various health facilities in the country, the leadership of the Association said at a press conference.

This action, the Association noted is occasioned by an intercepted document on a proposed amendment of Act 857 of the Health Professionals Regulatory Bodies Act by the Ghana Medical and Dental Council (GMDC).

It holds that the Amendment if passed, will subject the profession of Physician Assistants to the direction and supervision of a Medical Doctor and therefore their opposition.

“This bill seeks to reduce our work to nothing, impose medical doctors on us and frustrate our effort to grow, to evolve and to provide the best quality of care to our people. For these reasons, we strongly oppose the proposed amendment and call for an urgent meeting with the Medical and Dental Council, Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health to stop this attempt.

“The leadership of the Ghana Physician Assistant Association wishes to use this platform to communicate to all Ghanaians about our tentative roadmap leading to a nationwide industrial strike by the Physician Assistant fraternity.”

On that note, it relayed its intention to gradually withdraw its services to the public beginning on July 24.

“From 24th July 2023, all OPD services nationwide will be withdrawn by the Physician Assistant professionals. Then from 27th to 31st July if nothing is done, we are withdrawing all the emergency services. From the 1st of August, if our concerns are not addressed, we are totally withdrawing our services to the people that we serve.”