Health workers must get one voice

Kumasi, April 23, GNA- Dr Kofi Asare, Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, has called on the National Council of Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) to prepare a legislation that would give one voice to all health workers in their fight for better working conditions. Addressing the Ashanti regional delegates conference of HSWU in Kumasi on Thursday, he said it was imperative that all health workers spoke with one voice in their fight for better working conditions for them to achieve better results.

Dr Asare said in fighting for their rights, they should also be conversant with the code of conduct and ethics of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) so that they would be able to discharge their duties effectively.

The conference was attended by 70 delegates from government hospitals and Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) members from all the 18 districts of the region.

It afforded them the opportunity to discuss issues affecting their welfare, discuss the national delegates conference of the union to be held in Kumasi in June this year and elected new regional council executive.

Dr Asare cautioned health workers to be careful when handling AIDS patients so as to avoid contracting the disease, adding that whenever any health worker detected having contracted the disease he or she should report it immediately for treatment.

He advised them to have constant medical check ups for them to be aware of their health status and determine whether they were fit to treat patients.

Dr Asare asked the leadership of the workers to mount education programme on the new labour law and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) so that they would be able to face problems that would emerge.

John Gamali Akoto, General Secretary of the union, said it was a matter of happiness that the country had not experienced any labour unrest especially in the health sector and hoped the trend would continue.

He called for public support for health workers to ensure the smooth take off of the NHIS.

Mr William Adjei, National Chairman of the Union, announced that the union had acquired plots of land at Sepaase in the Atwima district for the construction of a conference centre.

He therefore asked members of the Union to support the project for its implementation.

Mr Felix Yeboah, Principal Industrial Relations Officer, expressed happiness about the co-operation and co-ordination between the regional council and the various branches.

He urged members to be actively involved in the programmes and activities of the union to attract more patronage of the Union's activities.

Mr Samuel Odame of the Blood Bank Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) retained his post as the regional chairman of the Union, while Mr Osafo Wiredu of the Manhyia Hospital was elected first vice-chairman and the post of second vice-chairman went to Miss Comfort Boakye of Bekwai Hospital.