A Ghanaian US-based Physician, Dr Arthur Kennedy says that whiles others are talking about car allowances for health workers, he is more concerned about a significant thing like the retirement plans for health workers in Ghana.

According to the health expert, during the days he worked with some young Ghanaian doctors, they used to talk about “The Mustapha-hiade syndrome,” an expression used to refer to doctors who after decades of dedicated life of service could barely survive when on pension.

Dr. Kennedy has proposed that for instance, after someone has worked for about 10 to 15 years, the government should give such a person half of his or her retirement money and mark the same as a down payment for residence for which they pay the rest later as they continue the rest of their career.

“We need to look at retirement security for those who are back in the system. Young doctors use to talk during my time there about Mustapha-hiade syndrome. They were referring to doctors who were distinguished and very respected who have given three to four decades of service and then when they retired they lived in penury.”

“We need to look at retirement security. For example, after somebody has worked for maybe 10 to 15 years, give them half of their retirement money and then the government marks it as a down payment for a residence and then the rest of their career they are paying for it, do the same thing with vehicle. When you do those things, then they feel more invested in the system and then also make sure that their living circumstances match that of their colleagues’ who went into politics and other professions,” he said on JoyNews’ AM show on Monday.

There are calls for stringent measures to alleviate the plight of health workers in the country. Nurses have been trooping out of the country for better working conditions in developed countries such as the US and the UK.

Amidst the concern of attrition within the health sector, there is also the discussion about qualified nurses not being posted to work at the various health institutions. According to some experts, those who have not been posted are more than those leaving the health sector for better conditions elsewhere, which has rather become a greater issue of concern.

Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Dr. David Tenkorang-Twum has also noted that one of the factors demotivating health workers to work in the country is the lack of recognition.

He explained that having previously negotiated with authorities concerning payment ranges for the different categories of health workers such as midwife specialists, senior specialist nurse midwives and the consultant nurse midwife specialist, the ranges have been reduced without consulting the health unions.

According to him, his outfit including others have petitioned the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to help resolve their concern.