A group of 320 Pharmacy House Officers from the 2022 cohort have called on the government to disburse allowances owed to them for their year-long housemanship.
The officers, who have completed their mandatory training in various health institutions across the country, have gone 12 months without receiving any remuneration, leaving them in a state of financial distress.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Dr. Jeremy Owusu-Efrifa, one of the leaders of the group, expressed their frustration over the prolonged delay in payment.
He highlighted the essential role pharmacy house officers play in the healthcare system, emphasizing that their work is crucial to ensuring patient safety and improving health outcomes.
“Despite successfully completing our housemanship, the allowances that are rightfully ours have not been paid. These allowances serve as our legal remuneration, akin to a salary, yet we have been left without any financial support for an entire year,” Dr. Owusu-Efrifa stated.
The officers, who are under the 18H single-spine salary structure, have not received a penny since beginning their housemanship in July 2023.
The situation has been exacerbated by the current economic challenges in Ghana, leaving many of them struggling to meet basic needs such as rent, food, and transportation.
“Our families have sacrificed immensely to see us through this journey, hoping that by now we would be able to stand on our feet. Instead, we find ourselves forced to lean on them once again, despite having completed our training,” Dr. Owusu-Efrifa added.
The house officers outlined their critical roles during the housemanship, which included medication therapy management, patient education, and interdisciplinary collaboration within healthcare teams.
They also played a key role in antimicrobial stewardship, particularly in the responsible use of antibiotics to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
“These roles are not just about fulfilling our professional duties; they are about improving patient outcomes and contributing to the overall quality of healthcare in Ghana. Yet, we are being pushed to the brink of despair due to the financial strain caused by the non-payment of our allowances,” Dr. Owusu-Efrifa emphasised.
The group has made repeated attempts to engage with relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance, but their efforts have so far yielded no results.
They have followed up on the issue multiple times, with meetings and communications dating back to December 2022.
“We have been patient for almost two years, hearing the same reassurance that ‘we are working on it.’ But now, our patience has run out. We are demanding immediate action,” Dr. Owusu-Efrifa declared.
The pharmacy house officers presented two key demands: the immediate disbursement of all outstanding allowances and the implementation of strategic measures to prevent future delays.
They called on the Ministry of Health to resolve the matter with the Ministry of Finance and ensure that future batches of house officers do not face the same challenges.
“We did not become pharmacy house officers to get rich; we became pharmacy house officers to serve. But we cannot serve effectively when we are burdened with financial strain and emotional distress,” Dr. Owusu-Efrifa remarked.
The group expressed hope that by bringing their plight to the public’s attention, those in power would act swiftly to resolve the matter.
“We stand here today, not in anger but in hope – hope that our voices will be heard and that justice will be served,” Dr. Owusu-Efrifa concluded.
