The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has appealed to the Ministry of Finance to expedite its action to clear the 2022/2023 badge of pharmacists who have worked for seven months without payment.
The pharmacists numbering 203, were posted to various accredited hospitals in the country to undertake their mandatory housemanship beginning January 24, 2022.
Seven months down the line, however, the doctors have not received payment for the period covered nor have they been served with their appointment letters.
The aggrieved doctors have thus resolved to embark on strike on August 29, 2022, to drum home their demands.
Speaking at a press conference on the back of the delays, the President of PSGH, Samuel Kow Donkoh assured the officers that they are working and engaging with the relevant stakeholders to resolve the challenge.
“For some house officers, it is not even about going on strike due to delay of salary payments, but they have literally run out of money for transportation to go to work and come back to their rented rooms.
“We therefore appeal to the Ministry of Finance to give this issue the urgent attention and intervention it deserves,” Mr Samuel Donkoh said.
The PSGH noting the recurrence of the challenge over the period, advised that the relevant stakeholders take immediate action to forestall the occurrence of same.
“While PSGH dialogues with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance to resolve the current situation, we expect all stakeholders to present the estimated numbers of house officers to be budgeted for in the 2023/2024 housemanship period to the MOH for onward submission to the Ministry of Finance by the end of this month. This will ensure that their salary allocation can be captured in the 2023 national budget” Mr Kow Donkoh said.
