By: Maame Efua Kwaduah
The Coalition of Unemployed Allied Health Professionals at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has called off an ongoing strike, giving the government a seven-day ultimatum.
They are drawing attention to the urgent situation of trained Allied Health professionals who have been unemployed for nearly five years.
Since 2023, the coalition has held numerous discussions and sent numerous letters to the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, and the public, but without success. Despite repeated assurances of forthcoming postings, no tangible action has been taken.
The coalition emphasized that it is the government’s responsibility to resolve the critical situation faced by these professionals, who are required to renew their Professional Identification Numbers (PINs) annually without having the opportunity to practice.
The coalition comprises Medical Laboratory Scientists, Community Mental Health Workers, Disease Control Officers, Field Technicians, Health Promotion Officers, Health Information Officers, Records Officers, and other skilled professionals who have completed their training, national service, and licensure exams since 2019.
The coalition is urging the Ministry of Finance to provide financial clearance and is calling on the Ministry of Health, along with other relevant agencies, to open their portals for these professionals.
They emphasize the need to leverage the skills, knowledge, and resources that have been invested in their training.
In their statement, the coalition called on relevant stakeholders to take immediate action on this issue. They caution that if their concerns are not addressed within the seven-day deadline, they may resort to more forceful measures to express their discontent with the government.
The coalition remains optimistic that their appeal will be met with the expected cooperation and timely response from the authorities.
