Friday, 24th June, 2022

Page 8
Health
DAILY ANALYST Friday, 24th June, 2022
Examine your circumstance
to stay or leave Ghana
–GMA to healthcare workers
The Ashanti Regional
President of the Ghana
Medical Association,
Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo
has hinted that healthcare
workers are leaving Ghana
because they are underpaid and
unappreciated.
He said the situation, if not
checked, coupled with the rising
cost of living may lead to looming
strikes in the near future.
Dr Baidoo recalls his own experience
of traveling to the United
Kingdom for a brief period.
“I was earning more washing
cars in the U.K.”, Baidoo said. “I
was making more than £2,000 a
month whereas my salary here is
not even $1,000.”
The Ghana Registered Nurses
and Midwives Association (GRN-
MA) says over 3,000 nurses and
midwives have left the country to
seek greener pastures since the
beginning of the year.
The Association attributes the
high rate of migration of health
professionals to unfair salary
scales and poor conditions of
service.
There are fears hospitals and
health centers in the county
would be hit with understaffing in
the next three to five years if the
trend is not reversed.
But speaking to David
Akuetteh on Luv in the morn-
ing on Luv 99.5 F.M., Dr Baidoo
revealed the impact of inflation
on the livelihoods of health care
workers provides another reason
for their exodus.
“Most recently, the average
rate of inflation across Ghana
was 27.5%,” Dr Baidoo said, adding
that “However, the rate of income
increase was only 4%.”
Baidoo reinforced the possibility
of strikes happening in
the near future due to the tense
conditions caused by rising prices
in the country.
“Although nothing is certain, I
do feel that there is a strike looming…It
is likely that the National
Health Students Association of
Ghana will strike in August,” Dr
Baidoo said.
He also touched on the rising
cost of medical education in the
country which he says is getting
more costly by the day.
“It is expensive to pay university
fees which are between
GH 20,000 and 35,000 per year.
Many students rely on their families
for financial support which
often results in families having to
sell assets and making significant
sacrifices,” he said.
The Regional President of the
GMA stated that students are unable
to find jobs after graduating
and completing house jobs due
to a lack of teaching hospitals in
the country and the government’s
inaction.
“Not only are students struggling
to find jobs due to a lack
of financial clearances by the
authorities, but they are also even
having to wait six to eight months
to receive salaries from their
house jobs.”
Erasmus, a local doctor, who
called into the show, shared his
frustrations in his early days as a
doctor in Ghana.
“I started work last July and
was not given my first paycheck
till after 10 months. Even then I
was only paid for one month and
was told that the rest of my owed
salary would be paid to me later.”
Two unemployed nurses, Erik
and Derik shared their encounter
with the difficulties in the current
system.
“I completed my training
three years ago and am still
sitting at home. There has been
no communication from the administration
except that I will be
employed soon,” Erik said.
According to him, about 10,727
nurses have been at home and
unable to find employment since
2019.
Derik added that Erik and his
situation are relatable to many
healthcare workers who share the
same struggles and that things
have become increasingly difficult
for his family.
“My brother and I have been
living with our parents who
also have to provide for our baby
brothers and sisters.”
GMA Regional President, Dr.
Baidoo, believes that it is because
of these reasons that many health
care workers and doctors are
incentivised to make the difficult
decision to leave Ghana and look
for work elsewhere.
“Even from my graduating
class of 75 students, at least 30
have left Ghana to work overseas
..That is astonishing as it is almost
half of my class.”
Dr Baidoo said up to 200
doctors are leaving Ghana every
quarter.
“The total number of doctors
present in Ghana is between
eight and 10,000. I do not think
that this number is sufficient for
Ghana’s growing population which
currently amasses over 31 million
people.”
Rex Ford, a local travel agent,
revealed that up to seven nurses
consult him regarding emigration
daily.
“These nurses want to leave
because they feel severely underpaid
and unappreciated in Ghana.
They believe that they are better
provided for in countries like the
U.S.A., the U.K., and even China,”
Rex Ford said.
GMA Regional President, Dr.
Baidoo, also said, he believes that
those who work hard deserve the
opportunity to live a better life
rather than succumbing to the
same tough realities every day.
“Are we promised to live in
poverty? At the end of the day,
working is not about prestige
but is about putting food on the
table and that is what people are
finding they can do upon leaving
Ghana.”
“Although I will never be paid
as highly as an Article 71 worker,
I choose to stay in Ghana for my
love of the people. However, I am
not encouraging others to do the
same.”
Dr Baidoo urged healthcare
workers to review their circumstances
and make a decision that
is best for themselves and their
families.
“If leaving is the best possible
option, then so be it,” he concluded.
Electrochem Ghana provides water
to health facilities, 12 communities
Two major health
facilities and 12
communities in
the North Tongu,
Ada East and West
Districts are benefiting from
the Community Water Supply
Project of Electrochem Ghana
limited, a salt and chlorine-alkali
manufacturing firm.
The facilities are the Sege
Polyclinics and the Bonikope
Health Centre, a statement copied
to the Ghana News Agency has
said.
It said the communities
included Kportitsekope,
Lolonya, Nakomkope, Sonkope,
Adjumanikope, Agbedrafor,
Bonikope, Matsekope, Salom,
Kposem and Pute.
The statement quoted
Mr. Stephen Agbenyo, the
Administrator of the Polyclinic,
as saying that the provision of
potable water had helped reduce
infections and the achievement of
quality health care delivery at the
facility.
Mr Agbenyo said the
thirty-bed facility, which was
commissioned in 2019 was relying
on water from commercial
suppliers until Electrochem
Ghana took over the supply.
He noted that though the
facility was connected to the ‘3
District Water’ supply system, the
location of the facility impedes
the flow of water to the facility.
Mr Agbenyo said the borehole,
which came with the facility,
also dried up, compelling the
authorities of the clinic to opt for
private mobile water vendors that
charged GHC 800 per trip.
‘…at the time, the source of the
water they even sold to us at that
cost was unknown but necessity
compelled us to settle for that
option. The practice didn’t only
increase the rate of infections
at the facility but also proved
costly and unsustainable; that
is why we place so much value
on Electrochem’s gesture which
is coming at no cost to us,’ Mr.
Agbenyo added.
Nene Dameh Agberwornu II,
Chief of Nakomkope, one of the
twelve beneficiary communities
lauded Electrochem for easing the
burden of community members.
He said ‘…the excitement
that greets the arrival of the
company’s water tankers speaks
volumes about the relief the
project has brought to the people.’
Kpone-Katamanso
Health directorate
intensifies Covid 19
vaccination campaign
The Ministry of Health,
(MoH), Ghana Health
Service (GHS), Kpone-
Katamanso Municipal
Assembly, and
development partners are set to
intensify the campaign on the
COVID-19 vaccination within the
Municipality.
This was in a statement
signed by the Municipal Health
Director, Dr Esther Priscila
Biamah-Danquah, and copied to
the Ghana News Agency in Tema,
stating that the Municipal health
directorate, has scheduled June 24
as vaccination week against the
coronavirus pandemic.
The statement clarified that
all persons 15 years old and above,
including pregnant women, and
fully vaccinated persons from
three months after receiving the
second dose were required to go
for an additional dose (Booster) of
the Vaccine.
It indicated that people, who
received their first dose, were
expected to go for their second jab
to achieve immunity against the
deadly COVID-19 infections.
A team of health workers
would visit schools, Churches,
Mosques, Market places, Lorry
Stations, and vaccination posts
for the vaccination exercise, the
statement explained.
Dr Biamah-Danquah noted
that stakeholders, including
Assembly Members, were
expected to lead the charge in
the various communities for a
successful exercise.