A group of unemployed Physician Assistants (PAs) who graduated in 2018 and 2020 on Tuesday, picketed the Ministry of Health, demand postings by the Government.
The Group, led by Mister Stephen Paa Kwesi Conduah, said they were unhappy with what they described as “empty promises” and delays in the processes by the Ministry of Health to ensure that the 1500 members from 12 Physician Assistant Training Institutions nationwide were posted to the various health centres.
Mr. Conduah told the Ghana News Agency that the PAs were eligible for posting after completing their internship three years ago and that efforts to get the Ministry to come to their aid had proved futile.
“Those who completed in 2018 became due and eligible for posting in 2020. Others who completed 2020 were eligible for posting in 2022. Since that time all these people were in the house, they have not been posted yet and others are adding up.
The most painful aspect is that we have other health professionals and other allied health professionals who have been posted even though some of us completed school before them. We see that to be a form of discrimination,” he said.
The Group appealed to the Ministry to urgently open the posting portal so they could register and be posted to the various health facilities.
Mr Karim Inusah, one of the picketing PAs, vented his frustration about how he had resorted to doing “Okada” business to fend for himself and his dependents.
Others such as Miss Dorcas Mawunyoh Fumadorh, who graduated in 2019 and completed her internship in 2022, said she was depressed, worried and regarded herself as a liability to her family.
“…we are depending on the support of friends and loved ones. It is frustrating and cannot even associate with our colleagues in other professions. I do not want to be a burden on anyone,” she said.
Mr Isaac Offei Baah, the Public Relation Officer of the Health Ministry, received a petition from the protesting unemployed Physician Assistants on behalf of the Health Minister, who was said not to be available at the time.
“The Ministry only makes recruitment based on clearance that we received from the Finance Ministry and so when we get the clearance, we will open the portal and then we will allow them to appeal. We understand the frustration they are showing now and we pray that going forward, as we dialogue, we will be able to make things easier.” Mr Baah said.
After presenting the petition, the group remained at the precinct of the Health Ministry until the Police arrived at the scene and whisked some of the leaders away.
Later the Group dispersed, but indicated they would sustain the picketing until their demands were met.
It has become common practice for graduates from the health sector, including physician assistants, to adopt picketing as a measure to mounting pressure on authorities to post them after school.
GNA