Health workers across the country have threatened to withdraw their services if the government fails to pay their Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).
The unions namely the Ghana Medical Association, Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives, Health Services Workers’ Union, and Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association served the notice in a joint statement.
The joint health sector unions and professional associations have threatened to boycott in-patient and out-patient services by August 1, 2022, if the government fails to address their concerns.
The associations explained that they had to adopt this posture, after a meeting between labour unions and the government on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, ended inconclusively.
“The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU), and Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) being constituent members of Organised Labour, made a request to government for a 20% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for our members in the light of the prevailing difficult economic situation in the country.”
“Unfortunately, like other members of Organized Labour, we are yet to receive a favorable response from government. We had hoped that the meeting convened by Government with Organized Labour on 12h July 2022 would have resolved the issue but the meeting failed to achieve its objective.”
The unions warned that if by Friday, July 22, 2022, the negotiations on COLA are not completed, they will embark on a series of actions listed below;
1. 25th to 27th July 2022: Wearing red arm/wrist bands in all health facilities.
2. 28th to 31st July 2022 – Withdrawal of Out-Patient Department (OPD) Services
3. Ist August, 2022 – Witdrawal of OPD and In-patient services