The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the government to urgently engage with the leadership of the Junior Doctors’ Association of Ghana to prevent an impending nationwide strike that threatens to cripple healthcare delivery across the country.
The Junior Doctors’ Association of Ghana has announced the withdrawal of its services beginning Tuesday, October 7, 2025, in protest against prolonged salary delays, stalled postings, and what it describes as persistent unfair treatment of its members.
The GMA has warned that any industrial action by junior doctors will have dire consequences on the already strained health system and must be avoided through swift and meaningful government intervention.
Speaking to Citi News on October 3, the president of the GMA, Dr Frank Serebour, expressed deep concern over the situation, describing the salary delays as indefensible.
“For you to work for close to 10 months, 11 months, or 12 months without salary, it’s something that nobody can defend,” Dr Serebour said. “We were able to reduce the number of months doctors had to wait for their first salary to three months. So what happened that now we are gradually going back to this nine-month, eight-month business?”
He revealed that despite several interventions by the Association to calm tensions, the government’s continued inaction has left junior doctors with no choice but to embark on the planned strike.
“We’ve had several meetings to ensure that these doctors stay calm and continue giving their services. However, the assurances that we gave them… at a point, we realised that we can’t promise any longer. So we just have to allow them to also express their disgust or anger in a way that they feel would inure to their best interest,” he explained.
Dr Serebour also disclosed that about 800 trained doctors remain unposted, warning that the delays in placement and remuneration are fuelling a growing brain drain in the health sector.
“If we don’t post them, this is the avenue we create, and then people begin to look for other areas to go. And before you say Jack, not all of them are even in the country because they would have found places to go,” he cautioned.
The GMA president urged the government to fast-track postings and salary payments for the affected doctors to prevent the situation from escalating into a full-blown crisis.
“Once you finish school and you start work, everybody knows that you are supposed to be paid a salary. So I believe we will be able to resolve this matter amicably without the nuances of the strike action kicking off,” he added.
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