The Graduate Physician Assistants Association of Ghana has declared a nationwide strike to protest what they describe as discrimination within their profession.

The Association says the dignity of Physician Assistants (PAs) has been consistently threatened, undermined, and disrespected.

"They stopped some PA training schools, failed candidates who sat for licensing, and strangulated PA postings by the government instead of developing the profession," the Association stated.

The General Secretary of the Association, Joel Tetteh Padi, emphasised the necessity of the strike action, recalling a distressing incident in 2018 when a Physician Assistant was incarcerated for nearly two weeks leading to trauma.

This injustice led the Association to hold a demonstration, which brought about some positive changes and reforms in their profession.

The General Secretary further stressed that the issues of discrimination and brutality faced by Physician Assistants in their line of work urgently need addressing by the Ministry of Health.

They added that PAs are highly qualified graduates in the health profession, and as such, they deserve respect and recognition.

He further criticised the directive from the Ghana Medical and Dental Council, which prohibits Physician Assistants from signing certain patient forms related to rest or sick leave without the supervision of a Medical Doctor.

This restriction forces PAs, especially those in rural areas without access to doctors, to seek approval from doctors in urban centers before submitting forms for patient care.

Padi emphasized the importance of resolving this issue within the health sector, highlighting that Physician Assistants are professionals trained in the field and deserve to be treated as such.

The industrial action is set to commence on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, unless the government intervenes to address the maltreatment and challenges faced by PAs in their service to the state.

The Association's stance is a call for reform and a demand for fair treatment, aiming to secure the rights and recognition that Physician Assistants deserve in the healthcare system.