Class control cause of anaesthetists’ strike – Austin Gamey

Labor dispute resolution consultant, Austin Gamey, has described the strike embarked on by anaesthetists as not on salary but on class demand.

On his accord, this strike action should not have happened in the first place as it’s simply about a small group of doctors trying to undermine and establish class control over these specialists.

Mr. Gamey pointed out that certified anaesthetists have served Ghana judiciously especially at a time where the country had no trained doctors as anaesthetists.

“They have been working all these years to ease our pain whenever we went under the knife. Now we have some 50 to 60 trained doctors in anesthesia and unfortunately, there appears to be tension between them and a change of name to anaesthetists, this is why the strike is taking place. This simply is about class control,” he said.

Mr. Gamey further stated that it was needless for the name and treatment of anaesthetists to be changed since these doctors can only be found in Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, whilst the anesthetists are in all hospitals. “So why will you try to undermine them?” he queried.

Additionally, Mr. Gamey stated that the class control in the medical institution is overwhelming “and I wouldn’t have allowed it to get this far if I was a part of government.”

In an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, Mr. Gamey, admitted that the attempt to change the name of anaesthetists is wrong and revealed the government is actively taking steps to resolve the matter.

Members of the Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists began industrial action on January 1, 2022, over a change in their title from “Certified Registered Anaesthetists” to “Physician Assistants”.

The Association said in a letter addressed to Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu that the strike was occasioned by the Ministry’s failure to address the concerns of its members following the title change.

“The leadership of the Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists wish to bring to the attention of your honorable office and other stakeholders that its members cannot continue to provide anaesthesia services effective 1st January 2022,” the Association said in the letter.

The Association holds the view that the title change by the Health Ministry implies Certified Registered Anesthetists (CRAs) will not be illegible to practice anaesthesia by law and are not prepared to renew their licenses with the Medical and Dental Council (MDC).

The Association says this flouts the resolution of members at the 3rd Annual General Congress and Scientific Session held in Kumasi in December this year.