Striking doctors adopted bad negotiation tactics – Ben Ephson

Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper Ben Ephson, has described the threat by striking public sector doctors to resign en masse, as bad negotiation tactics.

He said in as much as the doctors have a legitimate case in demanding for a good condition of service, they went too far with that warning they issued.

The Ghana Medical Association declared strike action last Thursday after their negotiations with government hit a deadlock. Their industrial action has put the lives of ordinary people in danger as patients at the various public hospitals have had to be turned away unattended to.

They have threatened to resign en bloc if government delays in reaching a definitive conclusion with them over their demands.

Speaking to Fiifi Banson on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.3 FM Wednesday, Mr Ephson who is also a renowned pollster stated that though he has bias for health workers, he believes the doctors talk about resigning was a wrong approach and should not have been made.

“Why don’t the doctors go ahead and resign now, but say they are first discharging patients and will later resign. I agree they have been shot-changed by the government but I think they went too far with that threat”.

He also criticized the government for being bit reckless with the manner in which it has handled the ongoing strike, adding that the doctors gave ample time before embarking on the strike action.

“Government could have met the doctors half way when they started putting out warning signs, but it slept on the matter and waited for the current situation to happen. I blame the government for all that is happening now, this is unfortunate”.