Disburse our outstanding allowances, we are distressed – Pharm. D house officers

The 2022 batch of Pharm. D House officers have called for immediate disbursement of all their outstanding allowances from the Ministry of Health.They said the unpaid allowances were not only preventing them from 'putting body and soul together' but also put them in severe distress.Dr Jeremy Owusu Afrifa, speaking on behalf of the 320 Pharm D house officers, said the disbursement had been long over-due and demanded that the Ministry of Health resolved the matter with the Ministry of Finance to initiate the release of funds owed them.Dr Afrifa, who made the demand during a press conference in Accra, said that they had fulfilled their duty as required and had legally earned the compensation, which had delayed for almost two years.He also called for the implementation of strategic measures to prevent future delays on the back of similar incidents with their immediate predecessors.'The Ministry of Health must establish a transparent and efficient system that ensures timely disbursement of allowances for future course of the Pharm D house officers,' he stated.Dr Afrifa, recounting the hardships they had encountered over the period, said despite the important roles they played in Ghana's healthcare system, they were still a burden to their parents.'A Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D House Officer) plays a crucial role in health service delivery by helping with medication therapy management, patient education, assessing patient health, formulating medication treatment plan and coordinating medication management within healthcare services among others.'He said their demand was not for themselves but for every parent who believed in a better future for their child, for students who dreamt of becoming healthcare professionals and for every citizen who relied on a functioning and compassionate healthcare system.Dr Afrifa said: 'We did not become Pharm D house officers to enrich ourselves but to serve. However, we cannot serve effectively when we are burdened with financial constraints and emotional distress.'H e called on the Government to swiftly and decisively resolve the matter as they look forward to their voices to be heard and justice served accordingly.He commended all whose efforts had brought the issue to the limelight, hoping that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President, would fulfil his earlier promise he made to resolve the issue.Source: Ghana News Agency