A former General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Prof Titus Beyuo, has endorsed the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh’s appeal to retired health professionals to volunteer their services as the strike by members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) continues.
Speaking on Adom FMs Dwaso Nsem, the Lambussie MP stated that the government had no choice but to take urgent action, describing inaction in the face of the strike as irresponsible.
“It will be irresponsible on the part of the government not to act. If the minister and the president sit idle and take no action, they will appear very irresponsible,” Prof Beyuo warned.
He, however, clarified that the Minister’s call to retirees was not intended as a permanent solution or an attempt to replace striking nurses, but rather as a temporary measure to mitigate the crisis.
“It was a painful call by the Minister just to encourage the nurses to return to work, not a replacement—because that is not possible,” he explained. “If it takes us three days to resolve the issues with the striking nurses, we can’t imagine the lives that will be lost. We appreciate the nurses’ efforts and support to the nation.”
His comments follow a meeting between GRNMA leadership and the Ministry of Health on Monday, June 9, which ended in a deadlock. The government, citing budgetary constraints, proposed deferring the implementation of the association’s new conditions of service until 2026—a move the union rejected.
While some health professionals remain at post despite the industrial action, the Health Minister has expressed gratitude to them and urged others to show solidarity with patients.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Mr. Akandoh made a passionate appeal to retired nurses and midwives to step in and help sustain healthcare services. However, the move has sparked mixed reactions among stakeholders.