Pharmacists at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital in the Brong Ahafo Region have defied a directive by the Government and Hospitals Association of Ghana (GHOPSA) to embark on an indefinite strike.

According to the pharmacists, they have not received any official communication regarding the strike, which was declared Monday, September 5 to push the government and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to resolve issues with their market premium among others.

TV3’s Larry Paa Kwesi Moses reported Monday morning that notwithstanding the strike, the pharmacists at the municipal hospital were attending to patients.

Head of Pharmacy Unit at the facility, Akwasi Appiah, told our correspondent that they had challenges with the mode of communication by the national executives of GHOPSA for which reason they did not receive a copy of the statement directing all pharmacists to strike.

Mr Appiah told our correspondent that he only got to know of the strike Monday morning through a colleague pharmacist in Kumasi.

“He told me they were not aware and if they are to embark on strike, they have to hold a meeting today to decide when and also communicate that to the management of the hospital for them to put in place contingency plans,” Larry reported.

At the Sunyani Regional Hospital however, government pharmacists had laid down their tools.Meanwhile, TV3’s Ibrahim Abubarkar reports from Kumasi that the strike has already taken a toll on health service delivery at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where patients who visited the pharmacy unit access drugs were left stranded Monday morning.

“Some frustrated patients have pleaded with the government to ensure the striking pharmacists return to post to ease the pains of patients,” he reproted.

GHOSPA has been battling the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission over unfair placement on the single spine salary structure, payment of market premium and poor working conditions.

By 3news.com|Ghana