Define “frontline health workers” now or…'doom' - GHOSPA

The Leadership of the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA), has called for “a quick re-look” at who qualifies to be called a frontline health worker and therefore qualifies to benefit from the 50% of basic salary as allowance announced by President Akufo-Addo as an incentive to boost the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

A statement issued by the group Wednesday said GHOSPA members are not satisfied with interpretations being given to the term ‘frontline health worker’ by some high-ranking state officials, and recommended that the definition should include all health staff in all regions of the nation, and not only those at the designated 56 treatment centres.

The association warns that failing this, the incentive package may turn out to become a disincentive to other health workers in the other facilities to reduce their vigilance, which could spell doom for the entire nation.

Read also: Govt yet to define 'Frontline Health Workers' – Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo on Sunday announced a wide rage of incentives for various categories of the public to mitigate the socio-economic hardships engendered by the pandemic and subsequent disruptions to life in general.

Among other packages he announced:

“An insurance package, with an assured sum of three hundred and fifty thousand cedis (GH¢350,000) for each health personnel and allied professional at the forefront of the fight, has been put in place, with a daily allowance of one hundred and fifty cedis (GH¢150) being paid to contact tracers. Government has also decided that all health workers will not pay taxes on their emoluments for the next three months, i.e. April, May and June. Furthermore, all frontline health workers will receive an additional allowance of fifty percent (50%) of their basic salary per month, i.e. for March, April, May and June. The March allowance will be paid alongside that of April. The Ministry of Transport is also making available, for free, ‘Aayalolo’ buses to convey health workers in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa to and from work, along specific routes, for the entire duration of the restrictions.”

Various definitions being given the term of ‘frontline health workers’ saw the President on Tuesday serving notice that the term was yet to be properly defined and that government was making efforts to arrive at an acceptable definition.

The association’s statement commended various segments of the society, especially the president for the support in the fight against the diseases.

Read the group’s statement below.

PRESS STATEMENT

The Leadership of the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) has observed and followed the efforts and participation of its members in the fight against the spread of the Corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country with keen interest, and states as follows:

1. Acknowledgement: We acknowledge the great effort of the Government of Ghana, especially the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, in showing good leadership to inspire the nation in this difficult moment.

2. Gratitude: We express our gratitude also to the President for the incentive package to the Health Sector Workers, announced in his 5th speech to the nation on the pandemic, on Sunday, 5th April, 2020. That included, among many others, 3 months tax-free emoluments for all health workers from April to June; free bus rides to and from the workplace for all health workers in the locked-down areas; and 50% of basic salary as additional allowance for all frontline health workers over the next 3 months.

3. Interpretation of Frontline Health Worker: We are not satisfied with the interpretations being given to the term ‘frontline health worker’, who is to benefit from the 50% allowance, by some high ranking state officials, according to media reports monitored. We recommend a quick re-look at that definition to include all health staff in all regions of the nation, and not only those at the designated 56 treatment centres. Otherwise, this incentive package may turn out to become a disincentive to other health workers in the other facilities to reduce their vigilance. And that could spell doom for the entire nation.

4. Assurance to the General Public: We would like to assure the general public that, as the motto of our mother Association, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), states: “Amicus humani generis”, pharmacists will remain “friends of the human race”. And as such, we will continue to provide the needed medications like the hand sanitizers (to help prevent the spread of the pandemic) and extemporaneous paediatric preparations (to alleviate the suffering of nursing mothers), as well as the other critical drugs required to help improve the health of our unfortunate brethren who have contracted the virus.

5. Assurance of Patients With Chronic Diseases: Pharmacists are still available at all the chronic disease centres across the country to serve our numerous patients who are battling with various diseases and require regular supply of their medications, including anti-retrovirals, anti-hypertensives, anti-diabetics, etc. They are assured that their pharmacists will always be available to provide their pharmaceutical needs.

6. Assurance to Pharmacists in Hospitals and other State Institutions: We want to finally assure our colleague Pharmacists, working in both the private and public hospitals across the country and those in all state and quasi-government institutions, who constitute GHOSPA, to continue to keep their calm, as the leadership seeks solutions through dialogue with key stakeholders at the highest levels in the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS), in order to bring finality to our pressing challenges. All must continue to put in our best in the fight against this pandemic.

Once again, we thank the President and all the donors, both corporate and individuals, who have contributed into the National COVID-19 Trust Fund to help curb the spread of the pandemic.
Together, we will win this fight; and this too shall pass.

Long live GHOSPA, long live the Ghanaian Pharmacist! Long live Ghana!!

And may God make this Nation Great and Strong!!!

Thank you.

Nathan Coompson  National Chairman, GHOSPA)                                           Samuel Owusu   (General Secretary, GHOSPA)