GPAA to clamp down on fake practitioners

The newly elected executives of the Ghana Physician Assistants Association (GPAA) have disclosed that,they will soon begin a re-registration exercise for all members across the country to do away with unqualified and fake practitioners.
According to the executives, the move is part of measures to deal with issues of fake membership and protect the integrity of the Association.
The executives indicated that they are aware of the numerous challenges affecting their work, and will work towards finding lasting solutions to those issues.

These remarks were made in Kumasi after the elected executives were sworn into office to serve a four-year term.

Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony, elected President of the Association, Emmanuel Yaw Appiah, called for support from members to enable his team to deliver.

He mentioned some challenges of the profession as salary disparities, poor conditions of service, non-recognition in the structure of the health delivery system, obsolete job description and a bleak career path progression.

Mr. Appiah disclosed that re-registration exercise will be carried out to capture all members of the Association across the country.

“Everybody who is a Physician Assistant in this country who has been asked to practice is licensed by the Medical and Dental Council. Now, for the Association to top up those measures, we are going to do a re-registration of all our members across the country, issue our members with a uniform I.D card and make sure that if you are a fake member you will not get it”, he stressed.

He said the new executives are very mindful of the steps that have been put in place by the past executives which have led to the formation of the National Technical Committee, to look into the issues and make recommendations for implementation.

He intimated that the profession needs re-branding and restructuring to meet the challenges, and further position the profession to be counted and recognized in the healthcare machinery due to the versatile role the Physician Assistants play.

He further said the re-branding must start from within, adding that members must be seen to be assertive, resourceful and venture into health system research areas.

The new administration he revealed, will in the first two months in office set up a functional and credible website to link members of the Association and other Physician Assistants/Clinical officer Associations internationally.

He indicated that in order to provide a robust welfare structure for members, the current administration will undertake a strategic and rigorous membership drive exercise to expand the membership of the Association and also make concerted efforts to ensure that all members are deducted from source to enable leadership to cater for the welfare needs of members adequately.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Association, David Donkor, wants the government to fulfill its promises to the Association to avert any industrial actions.

“We also hope that we will not be compelled as an Association that represents one of the largest workforce or professional groups in Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health, to resort to industrial action. So we urge the government and all its stakeholders that for all the issues that we have stated time and again, they stick to their bargain and make sure that these things are done”, he appealed.