Pharm. Samuel Kow Donkoh flanked by some members of the PSGH
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) has called on the Finance Ministry to give financial clearance for 203 Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) graduates currently undergoing their mandatory postings across the country.
According to the PSGH, the 2021 Class of PharmD graduates have been posted to various parts of the country to begin their mandatory work without appointment letters.
“This year, the House Officers have neither been given appointment letters by the Ministry of Health (MOH) nor via their user agencies since receiving their posting letters from the Pharmacy Council.
“The MOH has not been able to do so because there has not been any financial clearance given by the Ministry of Finance, hence no salaries have been paid to date for the past seven months,” said Pharm. Samuel Kow Donkoh, PSGH President.
Addressing the media in Accra, he said compared to last year, where appointment letters were given after two to three months of work and payments received by the fifth month, “the peculiarity of this case is the absence of the appointment letters that guarantee payment of their due salaries.”
He, therefore, reiterated his earlier call on the Ministry of Finance to ensure that financial clearance is achieved for the 203 house officers who are performing morning, afternoon and night duties in various hospitals across the country.
He said the situation is having a dire consequence on the graduates and their overall wellbeing.
“Until they complete their mandatory 12-month period of housemanship, they cannot be employed by the government in the public sector or superintend Community Pharmacies in the private sector,” he added.
Pharm. Donkoh further noted that for some house officers, it is not about going on strike due to delay of salary payments but, “they have literally run out of money for transportation to go to work and come back to their rented rooms.”
“We, therefore, appeal to the Ministry of Finance to give this issue the urgent attention and intervention it deserves,” he said.
He said the PSGH Council has offered to give no interest loans to some of the doctors to enable them to finish their period of posting.
“The PSGH also calls on our house officers to rescind their decision to withdraw their services on 29th August as we continue to work on their behalf and engage all relevant stakeholders for an amicable resolution,” he said.
He also requested the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning to ensure that during the 2023/2024 housemanship period, the current undue delay in payment of house officers do not recur by ensuring swift processes that are in sync with the Ministry of Finance.
Pharm. Donkoh said while PSGH dialogues with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance to resolve the current situation, all stakeholders should present the estimated numbers of house officers to be budgeted for in the 2023/2024 housemanship period to the MOH for onward submission to the Ministry of Finance by the end of this month to ensure that their salary allocation can be captured in the 2023 national budget.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
