Editorial: Government And Mortuary Workers Must Reach An Amicable Solution

The strike by the Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana is having a devastating impact on public mortuaries in the Ashanti Region, leaving families in a state of distress.The strike is in protest of poor working conditions, inadequate salaries and the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for mortuary workers.

The families waiting to take the bodies of their relatives at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital are among those stranded and demanding immediate action from the government.The President of the Mortuary Workers Association in the Ashanti Region, Ebenezer Esillifi, has vowed the strike will continue until their demands are met.

The strike has brought operations at government mortuaries in the region to a standstill, causing a backlog of bodies and putting a strain on the healthcare system. The situation is likely to worsen unless a resolution is reached soon.The government has been urged to intervene and resolve the strike, which is having a devastating impact on families and the healthcare system.

This strike by the Mortuary Workers is very sad and appalling. The strike, fueled by demands for better salaries, improved working conditions and access to personal protective equipment (PPE), has brought public mortuaries in the region to a grinding halt, leaving the entire healthcare system burdened by this crisis.

This issue lies on the neglected role of mortuary workers in Ghana’s healthcare framework. They handle some of the most sensitive and high-risk work, managing the deceased, many of whom may have succumbed to infectious diseases. This service requires not just diligence and care but also protection from potential health hazards. However, the fact that these workers must fight for basic PPEs shows that we have failed as a country.

The implications of the strike are grave, extending beyond the mortuary workers themselves. Families have been left stranded at places like Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, unable to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones. For many, the delay in funeral rites has deepened the trauma of loss. With no end in sight to the strike, these families are left in limbo, their grief compounded by the uncertainty of when they can proceed with funerals.

Moreover, the strike has placed immense pressure on the healthcare system, as public mortuaries are inundated with bodies that cannot be processed. The backlog is already stretching available resources, risking the integrity of these facilities and their ability to maintain sanitary conditions. Without swift intervention, this situation threatens to escalate into a public health crisis, exacerbating existing challenges within the system.

The government, tasked with safeguarding public health, cannot afford to ignore the legitimate demands of mortuary workers. The risks these workers face, from exposure to infectious diseases to the psychological toll of their work are significant, yet they are neither compensated fairly nor provided with adequate safety measures. This is not a group of workers making extravagant requests but rather asking for protection and fair treatment in their jobs.

Also, we believe that addressing this strike requires more than just a temporary fix. While a quick resolution to this standoff is crucial to avoid further emotional and logistical damage to families and the healthcare system, it must also trigger a broader conversation about the structural challenges in healthcare service delivery.

Mortuary workers, like many other essential health workers in the country, are often marginalized, underpaid, and undervalued. As the country grows and its healthcare needs become more complex, the welfare of all workers especially those dealing with high-risk and sensitive tasks must become a priority. The government should implement systemic reforms to ensure that all essential health workers are adequately supported, both in terms of working conditions and compensation.

Additionally, public health responses must include forward-thinking measures. Adequate staffing levels, provision of PPE, and structured protocols for the care of the deceased are not luxuries they are foundational to a functioning health system. If these gaps are not addressed, the healthcare system will remain vulnerable and future labor unrest or public health emergencies could bring the system to a halt once again.

This is a crisis that affects families, the dignity of the deceased and the overall public health system. The government must act swiftly and comprehensively to resolve the immediate issue, ensuring that grieving families can bury their loved ones and that the healthcare system can function without further disruption.

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