Health workers in Greater Accra resume work

Accra, March 14, GNA - The Greater Accra Regional Health Director, Dr Irene Agyepong on Wednesday confirmed that health workers who embarked on a two-week strike action have resumed work and were attending to patients.

The Health Workers Group (HWG) of the Greater Accra Regional branch called off their strike following a meeting with their leaders on Monday.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Dr Agyepong noted that all health workers in institutions in the region, including Ridge Hospital and other districts health institutions were back to work.

She said a visit by the Regional Health Directorate to the La General Hospital with the Metropolitan Health Director showed that the health workers were at post.

"I have also spoken on phone with the districts and they all confirmed that the staffs are at post according to the duty roaster and the industrial strike action appears to have ended", she added. The health workers, who began the strike on March 5, resumed work on Monday awaiting the submission of the final report by the Appellate Body by 31st March. The health workers resumed work after deliberations on the issues relating to the strike action as well as the delay in the implementation of the expected health workers group salary structure.

The Ministry of Health in a letter issued to all health institutions directed that any worker who was not at post by March 6 should consider himself or herself dismissed.

A letter signed by Lepowura M.N.D. Jawula, Chief Director, directed all heads of health institutions to compile a list of recalcitrant staff to be forwarded to the Controller and Accountant-General to stop their salaries immediately.

The health workers met with their leaders and agreed to call off their strike action and resumed a day before the deadline given by the Ministry.