Members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) have voted at crucial General Assembly meeting to remain on strike for two more weeks.
They have however agreed not to resign en masse as threatened by their leadership two weeks ago over an absence of documented conditions of service.
At the meeting in Accra, 213 doctors voted for the status quo, while 148 voted to resume duty. That is by a margin of 65 votes, the doctors voted to continue the strike that is set to enter its third week.
The repercussions of this decision are expected to be grim for the health sector already reeling under the strike action by more than 2,000 doctors.
The stance of withdrawing emergency services continues after out-patient services were suspended two weeks ago.
Government will be disappointed in the decision after holding crunch talks with GMA Friday pleading that the doctors resume while negotiations continue.
The General Assembly meeting today by the union of public sector medical doctors – the Ghana Medical Association – was held to decide the next line of action by the agitating doctors who have left their posts in protest of an absence of improved condition of service.
Talks between the striking doctors and government have stalled on several occasions: the doctors say government has not been negotiating with them in good faith and has blamed government negotiators of deliberating leaking confidential documents presented at the negotiating table to make them look bad.
The government on the hand has said it cannot negotiate under duress that is while the doctors’ strike continues.
Meanwhile, the situation at private, police and military hospitals remain dire as increased patient numbers and scarce facilities befuddle healthcare delivery.
