‘Our reward is on earth not in heaven’ – GMA demands better conditions of service

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called upon the government to prioritise the improvement of its members’ conditions of service to align with their job requirements.

The Association has requested the government to ensure their well-being and security both during and after active service.

Speaking at the 65th General meeting of the Association on Monday, GMA President Dr Frank Serebour emphasised the need to protect Association members from workplace hazards and provide compensation for such incidents.

“Our pensions must be secured after we have sacrificed our bodies, minds, and souls in our service. We require adequate logistics and an enabling environment to maintain our mental and physical well-being so that we can effectively care for the population. Retirement on a full salary is not an unreasonable demand. The vehicle importation tax waiver for health workers should be reinstated immediately.”

“We should not be made to pay the ultimate price of losing our lives and homes in our quest to care for the vulnerable. Someone must care for the health worker. Our reward is not in heaven but here on planet Earth. What we are asking for is not an impossibility. We appreciate some urgency from the FWSC,” he stated

Dr Serebour also insisted that they would not accept any delays in providing doctors with better working conditions.

He further stressed that the association would be grateful if the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission brought finality to the matter by pushing for an increase in their salaries, as it has been overdue.

“Any delays will not be tolerated, and we will demand the full implementation of any agreed-upon terms to be effective in January 2024. Even as we negotiate, the existing conditions of service are still in force; hence the implementation of any aspect of the document that becomes due will be demanded by the GMA, as was done for the non-basic allowance,” Dr Serebour added.

The Deputy Minister for Finance, Abena Osei Asare, acknowledged that efforts are underway to address the association’s demands.

“I want to assure you that we have made some progress and very soon the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission will be calling a meeting to kick-start the operationalization of your new conditions of service,” she stated.