3 DIE AT KATH OVER STRIKE

by Daniel Nonor

Three people have allegedly been reported dead at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, following the strike action being undertaken by pharmacists in public health institutions across the country.

Pharmacists at public hospitals in the country have since yesterday declared an indefinite strike action in demand for their migration onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS), and non-payment of their monthly salary arrears.

The pharmacists are the only personnel within the health sector who are yet to be migrated onto the new pay policy, insisting that several efforts to get the matter addressed in the past had proved futile.

They contend that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Ministry of Health have been lackadaisical in their approach to their grievances.

In demand for immediate action, pharmacists in teaching hospitals across the country declared an industrial action to back their demand.

The strike, however, appears to have hit patients hard, as reports available indicate that two patients have died as a result of alleged unavailability of drugs.

Though the authorities at the hospital are taciturn about information concerning the casualties, particularly, in confirming the fact that the deaths were as a result of lack of drugs.

The strike has been compounded by the refusal of junior doctors to embark on surgeries, as they claim it would be unethical for them to attend to patients, when pharmacists are not operating.

The Chronicle tried to confirm from the management about the death of the three patients, but was unsuccessful.

Reports indicate that emergency cases referred to the hospital were turned away because of the strike, a possible cause of the increasing death toll at the hospital.

 

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