Anaesthetists declared strike January 1

Certified Registered Anaesthetists (CRAs) have served notice to withdraw anaesthesia services effective Saturday, January 1, 2022.

The decision by CRAs to absolutely lay down their tools nationwide is due to the failure of government to resolve grievances tabled by the anaesthestits.

“We cannot provide anaesthesia services across the country effective 1st January 2022 because members don’t hold license to practice”, a statement from CRAs clarified.

Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists (GACRA) said it has not received any response to the requests in its letter dated December 4, 2021, it wrote on the subject matter to the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR).

The association noted “the inability of the CRAs to provide anaesthesia services is indefinite until a determination is made by the Ministry of Health”, the statement noted.

Based on this, the group has declared a strike over the title change, also effective January 1, 2022.

The group said the industrial action was due to the Ministry of Health’s failure to address its concerns over changing the title of members from ‘Physician Assistants’ to ‘Certified Registered Anaesthetists’.

In an earlier statement, the group said the Ministry of Health’s decision “implies that CRAs shall not be illegible to practice anaesthesia by law and are not prepared to renew their license with the MDC as congress resolved in the 3rd Annual General Congress and Scientific Session held in Kumasi on 1st – 4th December.”

The Association said the Medical and Dental Council had also refused to extend the certificates of its members thus they will not be able to legally practice.

“The CRAs loved to serve their cherished clients, and the good people of Ghana as law-abiding citizens, but the circumstance we find ourselves in will render the CRA ineligible to practice. The unfortunate development which shall have grave repercussions on our health delivery system should be blamed on the Ministry of Health and the MDC.”

Anaesthetists are known as advanced practice nurses who administer anaesthesia for surgery or other medical procedures.

They work in collaboration with surgeons, anaesthesiologists, dentists, podiatrists, and other professionals to ensure the safe administration of Anaesthesia.

Anaesthesia is the administration of medication to allow medical procedures to be done without pain, and in some cases, without the patient being aware during the procedure.

The group has observed that the employer has been dragging its feet when it comes to addressing their concerns.

Source: africaneditors.com