The Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists (GACRA) is demanding a Memorandum of Understanding between it and the Medical and Dental Council (MDC) before it considers going back to work.
Last Thursday, the group started a partial withdrawal of its services nationwide in protest of what it says is the MDC’s attempt to change their name form “Certified Registered Anaesthetists” to ‘physician assistants.’
Since then, the association has disclosed that the Medical and Dental Council has assured it that it has discontinued talks towards getting their names changed.
However, the President of the Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists, Jacob Wunbei said such an assurance is not enough.
“They claim that they have stopped the meeting that was to discuss the bill with the Parliamentary Select Committee and they think that we should not go ahead to embark on a nationwide strike but here again, I told them that well, you have stopped the process or you have stopped the amendment. We are not against the process. We are not against the amendment but we are against where the law is amended to disadvantage us.”
“We think that is not goodwill enough. We must have a Memorandum of Understanding with the stakeholders on the issue concerned that we can hold to our members as an exhibit of reprove so that tomorrow when they don’t, me and you can have something to say that this is where we have reached…We live in a world where things are done with evidence.”
The Association embarked on a strike in demand for a name change.
They asked the government to acknowledge them as Certified Registered Anaesthetists.
They are currently known as Physician Assistant-Anaesthesia, which they say was “forced on them” by the Medical and Dental Council.
The association has threatened the total withdrawal of services from April 16 if their demands are not met.
They have currently withdrawn only Anaesthesia services for elective surgeries.
But following the April 16 ultimatum, the association plans to withdraw services for emergency services in addition.
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.
They also claim the push for a name change is being resisted by Doctor Anaesthetists.
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By: Marian Ansah| citinewsroom.com| Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah
