According to reports from Citi News, patients who are visiting health centers in the Ashanti Region for medical attention are being redirected to major hospitals due to an ongoing strike initiated by members of the Ghana Physician Assistants Association. It has been observed that nurses at several health centers are guiding patients to nearby hospitals as the Physician Assistants who typically manage these facilities are currently not present.
The strike by the Ghana Physician Assistants Association is in protest of a proposed legislation that aims to place them under the supervision of Medical Doctors, a move that they strongly oppose. As a result of this strike, healthcare services are being adversely affected, especially in health centers situated on the outskirts of the city. Patients with common health conditions are being compelled to visit larger hospitals to receive the medical care they require.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Physician Assistants Association, Michael Kofi Agyei, has expressed the members’ grievances, stating that they had a meeting with the minister which did not yield substantial outcomes. The National Labour Commission has called for a meeting involving the concerned parties, aiming to facilitate a resolution to the matter. Agyei emphasized that their demands include not being regulated by the Dental and Medical Council if they are not considered medical practitioners, and addressing the disparity between the use of their certificates in government facilities versus private practice. He also mentioned issues related to payment.
The information is sourced from citifmonline.
