KATH Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over Salary Arrears

Aggrieved Junior Doctors on Housemanship at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have threatened to embark on a strike latest by Tuesday, August 22, 2017, if the facility’s management fails to provide documents covering their salary arrears.

The Doctors were given appointment letters by KATH to start work in September 2016 when they were in dire need of doctors with the assumption that the financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance through the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) will ask them to start the Housemanship in September 2016.

They agreed to work whiles the hospital facilitates their financial clearance from the Ministry through CAGD.

According to the doctors, the financial clearance from the ministry of finance through CAGD which was given to them said they should not be employed earlier than November.

‘Now the Controller and Accountant General says it cannot pay us until the Finance ministry gives them the go ahead,’ the President of Medical Student Association, Dr Henry Adjei-Mensah said.

Some of the Junior doctors who spoke to Ultimatefmonline.com on anonymity said they will not be able to demand for their two months salary arrears after completion of the Housemanship at KATH in August 2017 for the first year.

They argued that majority of them will be posted to other health facilities in the country fearing that the unpaid salaries will not be paid.

The authorities at KATH in a meeting with the Junior Doctors on Wednesday, August 16, 2017, assured to dialogue with the Controller and Accountant General to settle the arrears.

But the Junior doctors are threatening to embark on a strike on Tuesday if KATH refuses to provide documents backing their salary arrears.