The Graduate Physician Assistants Association of Ghana has declared an industrial strike nationwide over the rise of xenophobia, discrimination, and brutality in their profession.
The strike action commencing today July 13, 2023, is expected to end on July 31, 2023, if the government doesn’t intervene in the maltreatment leveled against them in rendering their service to the state.
The Association in a statement highlighted that the dignity of Physician Assistants has been threatened, undermined, and disrespected.
“Your dignity as a PA has been threatened, undermined, and disrespected. Today, the Council wants to take away your right to practice soundly, to employment, and to prosperity by bending rules, breaking existing laws, and compelling xenophobic policies without legal basis”.
“They stopped some PA training schools, failed candidates who sat for licensing, and strangulated PA postings by the government instead of developing the profession”.
“Collaborative diplomacies have failed both the PA fraternity and Certified Registered Anesthetists, the future for our profession is heavily threatened and must be resisted”, excerpts from the statement dated July 13, 2023 read.
The President of the Association Mr. Anthony A. Arkoh speaking on the necessity of the strike action recalled that in 2018, one Physician Assistant was traumatized as he was incarcerated for about two weeks.
He noted that their colleague was punished severely for a crime he didn’t commit.
The Association demonstrated after the injustice meted out against their member and that brought some sanity and reformation in their service.
The Vice President of the Graduate Physician Association of Ghana Mr. Emmanuel Dickson Tuffour speaking to The Ghana Report said the issue of discrimination and brutality leveled against them in their profession needs to be addressed by the Ministry of Health under the auspices of the government.
He explained that Physician Assistants are graduates who are well-versed in the health profession and, therefore they must be given due respect.
He criticized the directive from the Ghana Medical and Dental Council cautioning that a Physician Assistant cannot sign a form for a patient requiring him or her to have some rest or sick leave due to the health condition of the patient.
“If a Physician Assistant can treat a patient, why can’t he or she sign a form requesting the patient to have some rest after treatment? he quizzed.
He said that the Council’s scope of operation directs all PAs to work strictly under the supervision of a Medical Doctor.
“There are some PAs posted to rural areas and these people are not working under any Doctor. After treating any patient, it means that a PA will have to visit a doctor in the city to append his or her signature on the form before submitting it to the patient”.
“We want this issue to be addressed in the health sector since we are also professionals trained in that field”.
Find the statement to that effect below
I think the medical and dental council is treating physician assistant unfairly, considering the work load they do. MoH needs to address their issues to reduce unnecessary tension among PA’s and Dr
I think the medical and dental council is treating physician assistant unfairly, considering the work load they do. MoH needs to address their issues to reduce unnecessary tension among PA’s and Dr
I think the medical and dental council is treating physician assistant unfairly, considering the work load they do. MoH needs to address their issues to reduce unnecessary tension among PA’s and Dr