The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has backed junior doctors’ agitation over stalled salary negotiations with government. The junior doctors have rejected an 8 per cent increase offered by government and are pressing for a 17% increase as enjoyed by other public sector workers recently. The doctors have accused government of deliberately dragging its feet on the negotiations. Speaking to Joy News, the president of the GMA, Dr Emmanuel Adom Winful, said the junior doctors have cause to complain. Junior doctors across the country have repeatedly pressed home their demand for pay rise. Doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) laid down their tools on May 1 this year in protest against what they said was government’s failure to pay their allowances. Following this, their counterparts at Ridge and the Korle Teaching Hospitals threatened to strike as they demanded that government cleared all outstanding debts owed them. Dr Winful suggested that while salaries for public sector workers received an increase of 17 percent, it would be unfair for remuneration for junior doctors to be put at eight percent. He urged government to ensure that health workers in the country are motivated enough to carry out their duties. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana