By Rebecca Asheley Amarh
Tema, Sept. 7, GNA – The Health Service Workers’ Union of Ghana (HSWU) has called on the government to convert casual health workers to permanent staff to ensure stability in the sector.
Mr Franklin Ansah, the General Secretary of the Health Service Workers Union, making the call at a ceremony to climax the Union Week Celebration, explained that some members had been working as casual staff for over 25 years, saying that such precarious work undermined effective planning and worker dignity.
Mr Ansah added that giving such workers permanent status would go a long way in preserving hospitals’ internally generated funds to strengthen the supply of essential medicines.
“Health workers face extreme pressure and emotional torture daily in the course of discharging their duties. Implementation of agreed conditions of service is not just a labour issue but a health system issue; better outcomes for Ghana demand collective responsibility,” he said.
He stated that the government must join hands with unions and all stakeholders to prioritise healthcare financing, strengthen infrastructure, and ensure fair and adequate compensation.
According to him, climate change is another challenge the health service is facing, as rising temperatures, floods and droughts threaten infrastructure, nutrition and public health, therefore calling for the building of a climate-resilient health system to protect both workers and patients.
“Emergency diseases remind us of the importance of preparedness. COVID-19 showed us the cost of weak supply chains and inadequate protection; we must strengthen the system today to withstand tomorrow’s crisis,” he added.
Mr Ansah noted that digital transformation was no longer optional; therefore, health facilities must be modernised with technology to deliver timely and efficient service, which must be accompanied by training and empowerment for health professionals to remain relevant in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.
Dr Lloyd Baffoe, the Chairman of the HSWU, indicated that the theme for the occasion, “Organising for Better Health Outcomes”, emphasised the impactful service members render to the country.
Dr Baffoe noted that the union had come far with some achievements in its service delivery through strengthening of organisational structures nationwide, championing negotiations, improving working conditions, and providing training and capacity-building opportunities for health workers, as well as expanding the membership base and creating solidarity among groups.
He said, notwithstanding such achievements, Ghana’s health facilities continued to grapple with inadequate resources and sometimes poor conditions of service confronting the health service, which affected the quality of care provided to Ghanaians.
He added that the union must continue to push for policies and practices that placed the health of workers at the centre of reforms.
Mr Joshua Ansah, the General Secretary for the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC), expressed gratitude for the union’s 81-year anniversary, commending the members for keeping the union strong.
Mr Ansah said the celebration was a reminder of the role of health workers in quality healthcare delivery.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Sawer/Christian Akorlie