Doctors complain about paying medical bills

The Chairman of the Greater Accra branch of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Ernest York has revealed that health workers across the country pay their hospital bills whenever they fall sick.

He said, to compound their plight, their family members also pay medical bills when they are under the weather.

Dr. York said in spite of being doctors, nurses and health workers, they pay every medical bill unlike their colleagues in other government agencies and the private sector who enjoy some health benefits.

“Somewhere last week or so I had to pay a huge amount of money when my wife delivered at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where I work,” he said.

Speaking on various media platforms over the week, Dr. York stated that at it stands now, health workers in the country do not have any condition of service which can guarantee them any hospital benefit for themselves and their families as is common in the private sector.

He said health workers are treated like any other ordinary worker when it comes to the area of accessing hospital services, adding that it has been the trend in the country for a long time.

It would be recalled that the GMA gave the Ministry of Health up to today June 30, 2015 to provide its members with better conditions of service.

The Association warned that its members would be left with no other option, than to resign if the deadline is not met.

Dr. York warned that if doctors and health service providers are not provided with conditions of service, they would “advise” themselves. “Let everybody be aware that this time we are not going back on our word,” he stressed.

However, reports yesterday indicated that the GMA has rescinded its decision to resign en bloc.