The Government Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOPSA) says its members have been forced to join private institutions because of the failure by government to pay them a market premium.

An Executive Member of GHOPSA, Steven Corquaye, told Joy News they are “essential service providers” in the country but they have been unfairly treated compared to their colleagues who are in university hospitals.

The pharmacists in the university hospitals are given a premium of 1.14 while the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has pegged the market premium of pharmacists under the Ghana Health Services (GHS) at 0.58. This he believes is a great injustice considering their role.

The indefinite strike declared by the Association on Monday represents what it has termed the last resort to pressurise the government to do the right thing.

A visit by Joy News shows pharmacists in government health facilities across the country have abandoned their posts over the discrepancies in the payment of market premium.

They want the issue to be resolved but the spokesperson of the FWSC, Earl Ankrah, says considering the freeze on payment of market premium to labour groups, it will be difficult to engage GHOPSA on that.

He says the Commission addressed most of the issues put forward by the Association during negotiations and it was as though the FWSC was not interested in the welfare of the Association.

“At negotiation table compromises are being made,” he said adding the Association must compromise till such a time when the freeze would be lifted.

But Mr Corquaye says they are not budging and they will remain on strike till their concerns are addressed.

He explained they have faced several cases of challenges including having their salary "slashed down" when they were migrated onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) adding this has worsened their situation.

“Most of our colleagues have left to the private sector and some more have written their resignation letters,” he disclosed.