The Ghana Federation of Allied Health Professionals has started a sit-down strike in hospitals across the country.
The aggrieved members of the federation, which is made up of 18 professional groups in the health sector, have complained about two main issues.
They said that the Allied Health Professionals Council, which is their regulatory body, has been without a board for more than two years.
They also complained that the Allied Health Professionals do not have representatives on the boards and managements of the various hospitals.
Edward Yaw Afriyie, the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Chapter Chairman, confirmed the strike action in an interview with DAILY GUIDE on Tuesday.
He said the interests and concerns of his group are not guaranteed at the various hospitals in the country.
“We don’t have representatives on the boards and managements of the hospitals we work at and because of that our interests are always ignored and it’s bad.
“We are the largest group in the health sector with 18 professional groups, but in terms of decision-making, our group has unfortunately been sidelined and it’s not the best.
“We, therefore, started to express our frustration by wearing red arm bands to work for some days, but the authorities concerned did not pay attention to us.
“On May 15, this year, we officially commenced our sit-down strike and we are still in it, hoping that the government would address our issues for peace to prevail. If government fails to address our concerns latest by next week, we will stop going to work to display our anger,” Mr. Afriyie added.
From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi