QUESTION OF THE DAY
The professional association, the Association of Public and Environmental Health Officers, earlier conveyed what they termed as unacceptable condition of service for public health officers. They called for the immediate remedy for payment of extra allowances. Negotiations followed leading to some going back to work and others staying away. The state ultimately issued a statement calling on the public and environmental health workers to return to work unconditionally. Apparently, some went back to work while others stayed behind.
According to the permanent secretary ministry of health the state has now decided to reprimand those who stayed away by suspending them for two months.
The medical and health workers constitute the first line of defence when it comes to medical and health. The state has to have a policy of reviewing their working condition every year before budgetary allocation so that there is increase in income and annual improvement in their working condition in order to motivate them to stay in a profession which daily exposes their lives to dangers of infection.
There are ways of showing grievances and addressing them through dialogue and cooperation instead of confrontation. Both sides of a dispute must be ready to stay and do what is reasonable and justifiable to merit a solution without negative consequence.
Foroyaa will examine the bargaining methods of the association, the reason that led to the downing of tools and the division among the ranks that led to a chequered outcome. In all these development, both health workers and government must take note that above all the lives of the people matter.
