Gov't to bring in more Cuban doctors

Information available to Joy News suggests that government is bringing in more doctors from Cuba as part of contingency measures to deal with the three week old strike by doctors.

Joy News sources at the Health Ministry say the sector minister will later today sign an agreement with the Cuban government for the supply of more doctors to the country.

The agreement, we are told, is to aid doctors at the 37 and Police Hospitals who have been working extra hours to take care of patients as a result of the ongoing strike.

The Cuban doctors will also be sent to various hospitals across the country.

In a related development, policy think tank IMANI Ghana has criticized government for its posture in the wake of the doctors’ strike.

Bright Simmons, Director of Development Research of IMANI Ghana, told Joy News most of the issues raised by the doctors bother on credibility, adding that “the fundamental issue is that government communication has to be trusted" by redeeming their pledge.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association has insisted it will not call off the strike because of government’s posture regarding their grievances.

GMA President Dr Kwabena Opoku Adusei also rubbished calls from section of the public for their salaries to be withheld because they did not work while on strike.

He told Joy News he has already taken his salary and even spent it.

Doctors say they will not return to work until they get a written confirmation for the payment of conversion difference and refund of arrears on a payment schedule.

However, Health Minister Sherry Ayittey says the doctors must abide by an MOU signed between the two and return to work while negotiations continue.

She conceded that she was not clear about what the doctors meant by a confirmation letter since everything has been captured under the MoU.

She reiterated her appeal to them to go back to work, and promised that the ministry will stand in to ensure that the MoU is respected.

Meanwhile the ministry will from today dispatch some pharmacists working at the Police Hospital to government pharmacies across the country, including the Accra psychiatric Hospital.