GMA urges government to strengthen PPPs and resolve outstanding conditions of service issues

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the government to prioritise Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a long-term solution to Ghana’s widening infrastructure deficit, particularly within the health sector.

In a communiqué issued after its 67th Annual General Conference in Cape Coast, the Association said PPPs had become even more critical as traditional funding sources continued to shrink.

The communiqué, signed by GMA President Professor Ernest Yorke and General Secretary Dr Richard Salormey, stressed that neither the public nor private sector alone could achieve universal health coverage, underscoring the need for stronger collaboration.

The GMA listed the potential of PPPs to improve health training, infrastructure, quality of care, commodity availability, job creation for health professionals and health tourism.

It, however, highlighted gaps in regulatory coherence and governance that must be addressed to fully harness the benefits of PPP arrangements.

The Association acknowledged ongoing government efforts, including PPPs in hospital equipment financing, management of Agenda 111 facilities and support for local vaccine production.

It also raised concerns over recent disruptions in the Electronic Medical Records System, particularly faults within the Lightwave Health Information Management System, which resulted in data access challenges, interruptions in patient care and exposed vulnerabilities in data backup and security.

The GMA urged the government to fast-track the rollout of the Ghana Health Information Management System and strengthen regulatory systems to ensure interoperability, prevent monopoly, include local technology vendors and safeguard national data ownership.

On labour issues, the Association criticised the government’s failure to fully implement the updated conditions of service for medical doctors and dentists signed in March 2024.

Outstanding matters include suspended vehicle import tax exemptions, lack of adjustments to non-basic salaries, unpaid 13th-month salaries and the unresolved Academic Clinical Consultants Allowance, which has affected recruitment and retention of clinical lecturers.

Warning of possible industrial action, the communiqué urged the government to urgently address these concerns.

The GMA also condemned illegal mining as a major threat to public health and the nation’s long-term well-being, calling for stronger and sustained enforcement to protect communities and the environment.