The management of the Ghana Medical Association(GMA) is urging the government to increase salaries for its members due to the high inflation rate in the country.
The president of the Association, Dr. Frank Serebour speaking at the 64th Annual General Conference at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region indicated the necessity of the government to increase the salary of health professionals to be able to cope with the current financial strains.
In furtherance to his agitation, he said, “Let me send this signal ahead of time. GMA will strongly be pushing for salaries of doctors and other health professionals to be pegged against the dollar in our future negotiations if that is the only way to maintain our salaries.”
“I am mindful of the fact that vehicles are being assembled in the country at the moment. However, the cost of these vehicles is such that salaries and conditions of services of health workers make it impossible for us to purchase same”.
The General Secretary of the Association, Dr. Titus Beyuo in an interview Citi news and monitored by the Ghana Report, also said,” “The government must try to stabilize the economy because the real value of our salaries has reduced by about 50 percent and, even if, in dollar terms, we are earning less. So in future negotiations, if the government does not stabilize the economy, we have no choice but to ask for our salaries and allowances to be pegged at the dollar rate so that, they do not lose value”.
The executives of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) are therefore calling on the government to cushion health professionals by adjusting their salaries to the maximum to match the rising cost of living.