The Coalition of Graduate Unemployed Allied Health Professionals (COAHP), 2017 and 2018, batch have announced the withdrawal of their services to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) contact tracing and testing team.
The coalition in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Vincent Amponsah Gyamfi, said, “effective April 13, all members who volunteered to do contact tracing, sample taking and testing nationwnde have Withdrawn their services to the COVID-19 teams.”
According to the statement, the action was influenced by the neglect and unfair treatment meted out to the 2017/2018 batch of Allied Health Professionals by the Ministry of Health.
The statement indicated that this group of Allied Health Professionals have met all the requirements that qualify them to be recruited into the health service.
It said the group have had several engagements with the Ministry of Health, adding that the names of their members were submitted together with those of 2017 diploma nurses to the Ministry of Finance for clearance.
“Follow-ups were done to that effect and the Ministry of Health promised us that, latest by March, our financial clearance will be granted, we
thereby could not fathom why only that of the nurses was granted leavmg out Allied Health Professnonals,” it explained.
The statement also cautioned the public to be weary of persons who will disguise themselves as Allied Health Professionals to do contact tracing , sample taking and testing.
“Contact tracing , sample taking, testing and all public health activities are strictly the work of certified Allied Health Professionals, ” it emphasized.
The group further urged its members to be calm indicating that it was seriously considering their agitation to demonstrate peacefully in accordance with laid down procedures.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri