Health workers raise alarm over unpaid ’13th month salary’, staff shortages

The Health Services Workers’ Union has expressed alarm over unpaid ‘13th-month salary’ agreed upon through a collective agreement and reported staff shortages in public health facilities nationwide. This shortfall, according to the union, is straining existing workers and compromising the quality of healthcare delivery. The '13th-month salary’ is a benefit stipulated in the union’s agreement with employers, entitling workers who have completed 12 months of service to one additional month’s pay.

However, this payment has remained unpaid since the agreement was signed. Jerry Detse Mensah-Pah, the union’s Principal Industrial Relations Officer, emphasized that without adequate staff, even doctors and nurses cannot operate effectively in facilities. He highlighted major hospitals like Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Koforidua Hospital, and Ridge Hospital as urgently needing more personnel to meet operational demands.

The union’s concerns extend beyond doctors and nurses, with a particular focus on categories like paramedics, disease control officers, administrative staff, security personnel, orderlies, and labourers. These unmet employment needs are causing overburdened workers to endure excessively long shifts, leading to health issues and decreased job satisfaction.

The Ashanti Region’s Regional Chairperson, Esther Akuma, described the situation as critical, noting that promises of recruitment have been made repeatedly without tangible results. She pointed out that current overwork often forces single workers to shoulder duties meant for several employees, leading to absenteeism, long working hours, and challenges balancing work and family life.

The union has specifically criticized the reliance on internally generated funds to hire temporary staff, arguing this practice lacks sustainability. The Health Services Workers’ Union is now urging the government and health-sector employers to address these recruitment gaps and re-employ affected workers on the public payroll, emphasizing that better conditions and increased staffing would enhance both worker morale and overall healthcare delivery.