The Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists has issued a public notice of a nationwide strike beginning Friday, 31 January 2020.
A letter released by National President, Mr James Nwinsagra, on Wednesday, said the association was embarking on the protest to compel the authorities to reverse a change of the anaesthesia curricula and the name of their degree.
The association says it is compelled to proceed on a total withdrawal of services following the expiry of a notice sent to President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo via the regional ministers in the country more than two weeks ago.
The letter to the President, dated 11 January 2020, expressed concern about a name and curricula change from Certified Registered Anaesthetic (CRA) to Physician Assistant (PA). The group raised concerns over the change leading to an award of a B.Sc. Physician Assistant – Anaesthesia from the existing B.Sc. Anaesthesia award given to CRA.
The association said it presented an appeal dated 2 October 2018, which was signed by 17 executives across all the regions of Ghana, to the Medical and Dental Council (MDC) opposing the changes.
However, the MDC went “ahead to direct the various training schools to implement the proposed curriculum to award B.Sc. Physician Assistant-Anaesthesia, instead of the B.Sc. Anaesthesia”.
The association expressed “disappointment for the unfortunate event” which has compelled them to embark on the strike and appealed to “the general public to bear” with them as they fight for academic processes for prospective Anaesthetists in the country.
The Association embarked on a similar strike in demand for a name change in April 2019 but resumed work after discussions with the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
After earlier concerns, the association complained to Parliament after which the name was changed from the Physician Assistants-Anaesthesia to Certified Registered Anaesthetists via the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act 857 (Act 2013).
They believe the current move by the Medical and Dental Council to “force” the change is a clear violation of the Act.
Members of the association complained that the move also exempts them from some employment benefits.
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Source: classfmonline.com
