Gov’t Pharmacists on indefinite strike

• Posted on September 5, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Pharmacists in state run health facilities will vacate their posts Monday to pressure government to resolve discrepancies in their market premium payment.

The over 600 members of the Government Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOPSA) say the indefinite strike has become their last resort after constant breakdown of negotiations with government over their grade structure and placement in public health facilities.

According to them, Pharmacists working in university hospitals are on a premium of 1.14, while the Fair Wages and Salaries Commissions (FWSC) have put Pharmacists working in the Ghana Health Services at 0.58.

They say this discrepancy is unacceptable.

GHOPSA has been been pushing for a resolution of the issue since 2010 after their migration onto their Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) without headway.

Last year, the Association embarked on a similar protest but did not make a headway.

National Chairman of GHOPSA, Agyemang Badu, says the Association remains resolute this time and will ensure the FWSC meets their demand.

“Though essential service providers, since September 2010 GHOSPA has patiently adhered to several agreements, assurances, due process and negotiations with the hope that its grievances in respect of a grade structure and placement and interim market premium would be addressed. Not even a compulsory arbitration process at the NLC and a Cabinet Sub-Committee report recommendations has been able to resolve it,” said a statement signed by Mr Badu.

The strike is expected to hit hard at patients who may be in need of medication from many of the state run health facilities.

-myjoyonline