Strike action affects hospital revenue

Sunyani(B/A), May 09, GNA - The industrial action by health workers is having a serious impact on the internally generated revenue of the Brong Ahafo Regional Hospital at Sunyani, Dr Daniel Asare, Medical Superintendent of the hospital said on Tuesday.

He noted that when the strike action continued, it would affect the smooth operations of the hospital because it could not realise the needed revenue to fulfil its budget for the year.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Sunyani, Dr Asare said a similar action by the workers last year resulted in the closure of the hospital.

"It cost the hospital a fortune to re-commence operations whilst most equipment that needed to be in constant operation had to be repaired or re-started as a result of their inactivity," he added. Dr Asare who is a Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon, said the current impasse was "worrying and disturbing" as the few staff working were over-stretched.

"What makes the situation more awkward is those workers willing to work are intimidated by their colleagues, some of whom are ironically rushing their sick relatives to the hospital for treatment," he said.

Dr Asare said although national service personnel, student nurses as well as personnel employed under the National Youth Employment Programme "have filled the gap," it was still not the best solution and appealed to Government to resolve the impasse to relieve them of the huge task.

"I think the earlier the Government finds a lasting solution to this problem the better, because the implications are higher than could be imagined, the financial sustainability of this hospital cannot be overlooked," he added.

The ENT Surgeon noted that the image of health workers among the public was gradually waning as a result of their strike actions. However, he assured the public that the hospital's management would not allow patients to die because as medical practitioners, they were complementing efforts to control the situation.

During a tour with Dr Asare, GNA realized that the atmosphere was quiet and serene.

The usually crowded main Out-Patients-Department (OPD), Antenatal, X-ray and laboratory departments were empty but few medical practitioners and other staff were attending to emergency cases. Mr Charles Awuah, a Staff of the Claims Department of the Sunyani Municipal Mutual Health Insurance Scheme said closure of the pharmacy department due to the strike action was affecting their operations. He explained that patients had to purchase drugs on the open market at higher prices than at the hospital's pharmacy.