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The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) says it would not call off the strike until codified conditions of service is presented to them. Doctors in government hospitals have been on strike for the past three weeks over the lack of conditions of service.

Reports suggest that government has pulled out of the negotiations with the doctors, saying it would only negotiate when doctors return to work. Speaking to Citi News, General Secretary of the GMA, Dr Franklin Serebour said they are not perturbed by government’s position since it shows it is not ready to address their concerns. “It is sometimes very interesting. You will recall that GMA in November last year shouted that we needed conditions of service. Unfortunately, this government didn’t do anything until this strike occurred.

So this government is taking the position that they are not willing to negotiation, I believe it has always been their position.” He argued that they “had only one caveat, that is the fact that the doctors are saying we will only come to work when we have a negotiated and signed condition of service.” “What it means is that now there is no condition of service so the doctors will continue to be on strike.

I believe that we should rather look at how we can resolve this matter as quickly as possible instead of adopting certain postures that may not help all of us.” Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health will tomorrow [Tuesday] announce an emergency plan it has put in place to mitigate the effect of the doctors’ strike. The Finder newspaper today reported that about 500 deaths have occurred so far since the doctor’s announced the strike.

The Ministry last week announced a list of quasi health institutions the public can resort to during the strike. A source at the Ministry said the Ministry will review its measures and announce further plans to continue providing healthcare to Ghanaians despite the doctors’ strike.