Tema Mantse appeals to striking doctors

Nii Adjei Kraku II, Tema Paramount Chief, has added his voice to the call on striking doctors to resume work while negotiations continue.

Nii Kraku indicated that even though the doctors are fighting for a good cause, they need to consider the number of lives that would be lost due to their action.

The Ghana Medical Association declared a nationwide strike to put pressure on government to accept their proposal on their conditions of service.

The Tema Mantse made the appeal on Tuesday when the Tema Metropolitan Assembly presented some items to the Tema Traditional Council towards this year’s Homowo celebrations.

Nii Kraku said the doctors must consider saving human lives as that was the main reason behind their studying of medicine.

He added that they must also not forget that public funds were used to subsidise their fees during training adding that their actions may have wrong influence on the young ones who aspire to be doctors in future.

Nii Kraku also added that, as Christians, Muslims, and members of other religions, doctors must at least resume to preserve the lives God created.

Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, said his outfit and the Tema Health Directorate have met with private health institutions in the Metropolis and encouraged them to work hard to prevent deaths during the strike.

Mr Odamtten added that the Assembly is also prepared to help the private clinics to acquire canopies and other things to enable them provide the needed health service.

He also indicated that three Community-Based Health Planning and Services under construction in the Metropolis would be equipped and immediately put to use to handle some Out Patient Department cases.

He added that the senior nurses and retired doctors would be depended upon to man the facilities.

Dr John Yabani, Metropolitan Health Director, said the Directorate is waiting for the Assembly to furnish the facilities after which the personnel would be posted there.

Dr Yabani added that two nurses have been dispatched into each community to do door to door service.

He added that malaria cases have gone down in the metropolis stating however that hypertension and diabetes were rather on the increase.