The Ranking member of the Health Committee in Parliament has disclosed that 69,000 health workers fled the country between 2021 and 2023 to seek greener pastures.
According to him, this has further exacerbated the challenges in the public health facilities and warned that the country risks losing more as the difficult economic conditions continue to fuel mass exodus.
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh painted a grim picture in hospitals where patients are forced to wait for hours due to the shortage of healthcare professionals.
The Ranking Member and also Member of Parliament for Juaboso disclosed this when he addressed journalists in Parliament on Thursday, June 20, over the government’s poor handling of the ongoing strike by laboratory workers.
He stressed the importance of resolving the standoff quickly to ensure essential healthcare services are not disrupted.
He said, “The government must move with alacrity because the importance is on the life of the people.”
“I’m not going into the merits and demerits of why they are going on strike at the moment, but any reasonable government will engage them and ensure they return to their hospitals,” he stated.
The ongoing strike has raised concerns about the potential impact on healthcare services across the country, with many calling for a swift resolution to ensure that essential medical services are not further disrupted.
Akandoh also expressed concern about the current state of healthcare facilities and the dwindling number of health workers, noting the significant challenges already facing the sector.
He charged the government to take immediate action to address the demands of the striking laboratory workers before the situation got out of hand.
