The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has welcomed proposals by the Ghana Health Service for doctors to apply for jobs.
According to the Vice President of GMA, Dr. Frank Ankobea, it is a laudable idea but the adequate measures must be put in place to retain the young doctors in the country.
The Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare revealed to employ medical doctors and dentists under a quota system beginning next year.
Speaking at the 2017 graduation ceremony at the University Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) over the weekend, he said the move is to curb practice where doctors refuse posting to deprived areas.
Dr Nsiah Asare said this at the 2017 grandaunt of the university Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology on Saturday.
Under the new policy, he added that, doctors would have to apply to their respective regions before they can be engaged by the service.
But speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Tuesday, Dr. Frank Ankobea urged the Ghana Health Service to tread cautiously during its implementation.
He explained that, doctors especially from route area of the country can be easily discriminated against.
“No doctor will refuse posting to a rural area but when the conditions are not favorably, they will rather stay in Accra so they should be incentives for those who will accept postings to the rural area.
The GMA Vice President said it is every doctor’s dream to upgrade him or herself thus government must lay down the structures to entice the doctors.
“Our preaching to our people is to cover the whole Ghana but there should be no obstacles on their way to prevent them from upgrading themselves” he stressed.
Dr. Frank Ankobea said they are ready to serve in any part of the country but there should be enough incentives to help them do their work effectively.
