His comments come amid growing agitation among a coalition of nurses and midwives in the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, who say they worked for nearly a year but received pay for only one month.

The group describes the situation as cruel, demoralising, and harmful to patient care, accusing the Health Ministry of broken promises and selective payments.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, Mr Gamey said the issue should not be reduced to a lack of funds alone, stressing that government now carries a clear obligation to resolve the matter.

“I think the issue about money may not be entirely the case. It could be a very faint part of it, but to be honest with you, it’s an obligation now,” he said.

Drawing on experience in government, the labour consultant said the problem of unpaid public sector workers was not new, but Ghana had reached a point where such situations should no longer be repeated.

“Having been in government before and having faced similar issues before, and it has been all over all these years, but I think we’ve come a long way not to be repetitive of some of these things again,” he noted.

Mr Gamey said the unpaid nurses and midwives will eventually receive their arrears and urged all parties to stay the course.

“They will have to be paid, and they can be paid,” he stated.

He expressed strong confidence in government’s ability to raise the required funds, citing leadership at the highest level.

“I strongly believe that government can afford to raise the money to pay them, particularly the kind of President we have, who is quite empathetic about working people’s concerns,” he said.

Mr Gamey appealed to the nurses and midwives to exercise patience and avoid escalation, even as frustration continues to build.

“So I think they should just exercise patience and follow it through. Some of us behind the scenes will also be advocating for them,” he added.

He also cautioned against protests and court action, arguing that confrontation may not deliver quick results in the current situation.

“I don’t think demonstration and legalistic approach will be a solution to the problem now,” he said.

The comments come as unpaid nurses and midwives warn that prolonged neglect is weakening morale across public health facilities and could affect the quality of care delivered to patients nationwide.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 3, the Ministry assured that all remaining administrative processes are being addressed to ensure full payment for every recruit.

The Ministry also commended the medical officers who have already reported to their duty stations and urged those yet to do so to report by Friday, December 12, 2025.

According to the Ministry, the recent postings are not intended as punishment but are necessary to ensure an equitable distribution of healthcare workers across the country.

“Families and relatives of the newly posted medical officers are encouraged to support them in accepting and settling into their assigned postings, especially in underserved areas,” the statement said.

The Ministry further appealed to Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to provide essential incentives such as accommodation, transport support, and other basic amenities to help attract and retain health professionals in their districts.

It also clarified that no changes will be made to the recent postings.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Ghana’s health workforce and ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare services nationwide.

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Speaking on Channel One TV, on Saturday, November 22, he questioned the government’s spending priorities, noting that the decision to prioritise four helicopters and two presidential jets comes at a time when public sector workers continue to protest for better treatment.

“GH¢13.1 billion to acquire aircraft will be better spent on engaging these nurses who are constantly hitting the streets, and the teachers and doctors who are always appealing for better conditions. We should invest in these areas instead of acquiring a presidential jet for the comfort of the person who holds that office. Recently we saw teachers and nurses demonstrating, yet we want to spend this amount on the executive. It really raises questions about the government’s priorities,” he said.

Mr Awuah stressed that the welfare of health and education workers is critical to national development and must be prioritised in budgetary allocations.

His comments echo concerns raised in Parliament, where the Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, also condemned the allocation during debate on the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy. Jinapor described the government’s decision as “misplaced,” particularly given reports that many public sector workers remain unpaid. He argued that the move contradicts the administration’s earlier promises to reduce the cost of living and create more jobs.

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She says the new wage does not reflect the hard work and sacrifices of perioperative nurses, who play a vital role in preparing patients for surgery and assisting surgeons in the operating room.

She was speaking at the Peri-Operative Nurses Week celebration held at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.

Ms. Ackah revealed the Association initially proposed a 20-percent increment but later appealed for 10 percent, taking into account the country’s current economic conditions. However, the government’s decision to fix it at nine percent, she said, was disappointing.

“It’s a not not, because I’m thinking that we deserve better than the nine percent. The condition of service, we were fighting for ten percent across board and we were expecting that at least it will start from there for us but hearing that it is nine percent, I think that they could’ve done better when it comes to the minimum wage for all personnel and when it comes to nursing, I think that there should’ve been some abridgment with the minimum wage,” she expressed.

The Peri-Operative Nurses Week, celebrated globally, is a time for reflection, recognition, and celebration of the vital roles perioperative nurses play in healthcare delivery. It also serves as a platform to discuss challenges and explore solutions for improving the quality of surgical care.

Touching on broader issues affecting the profession, Ms. Ackah highlighted the high cost of perioperative nursing training, which she said discourages many nurses from pursuing specialization. She explained that due to the cost and low remuneration, many perioperative nurses leave the country for better opportunities abroad, further depleting the workforce.

She urged government’s intervention to make the training more affordable and to provide better incentives to attract and retain more professionals in the field.

Ms. Ackah also emphasized the stress and pressure associated with the operating room, advising nurses to plan their tasks carefully and prioritize rest to maintain focus and efficiency during surgical operations.

“The OR comes with a lot of stress so when we’re going to work, I’d advise perioperative nurses to make sure that they plan so that when they go to work they won’t end up running around. If you plan well, you’ll get your things before the surgery starts and the running around would be minimal,” she said.

“When you’re stressed or tired and the pressure is too much, take a break. There are other people that can step in so you run the shift, take a break and then come back,” she added.

The Chairperson for the Peri-Operative Nurses Week celebration, Betenasehemaa Nana Afua Serwaa Opoku-Agyemang, also addressed issues of medical negligence, stressing that teamwork and discipline are essential in the operating theatre.

“We all have to exercise restraint when dealing with critical stuff like this but we urge them to also work with precision and be committed to their duty. There will be a little flaws here and there. They are humans, but with teamwork and proper monitoring by medical staff, I think this can be resolved,” she said.

The event at KATH brought together perioperative nurses, medical professionals, and traditional leaders to celebrate the profession’s contributions to healthcare and to reflect on ways to improve their working conditions and patient care standards.

Source: Josephine Sagoe

Speaking to the media in Accra on Monday, Mr Akandoh announced that the Ministry of Health had secured financial clearance for the payment of 17,909 nurses, midwives, and allied health interns who began their national service in early 2024.

He further revealed that clearance has also been renewed for 13,500 nurses and midwives who were recruited and posted in late 2024, after the initial authorization was set to expire on December 31, 2024.

“Financial clearance has been secured for the payment of the 17,909 nurses, midwives, and allied health interns who started their national service in early 2024, as well as for the 13,500 health professionals recruited late last year,” he confirmed.

The Minister assured all affected personnel that the government remains committed to resolving inherited salary arrears and to strengthening administrative systems to avoid similar challenges in the future.

“The Ministry is implementing measures as part of a broader effort to strengthen Ghana’s health system and safeguard the welfare of its workforce,” he stated.

Mr Akandoh also urged health workers to remain calm and continue serving the public diligently, advising them to channel any outstanding concerns through the appropriate authorities for prompt attention.

Source: AdomOnline

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In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, the Ministry noted that the leadership of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) had paid a courtesy call on Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh to strengthen collaboration with government.

During the meeting, the delegation rendered an unqualified apology to the Minister over a recent media attack.

The Ministry highlighted key interventions, including the establishment of the Ghana Medical Training Fund (GMTF), retooling of health facilities nationwide, and the full settlement of arrears on nursing training allowances and National Health Insurance claims. It also announced that government has absorbed 50 percent of admission fees for students in nursing training institutions.

According to the statement, these initiatives form part of government’s commitment to ensuring the smooth implementation of the collective bargaining agreement with the GRNMA, aimed at improving service conditions for nurses and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The Ministry assured stakeholders and the public of its continued dedication to addressing challenges within the health sector.

The GRNMA delegation was made up of immediate past President Alice Darkoa Asare-Allotey, current President Dr. Krobea Asante, Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, and General Secretary Dr. David Tenkorang-Twum.

Read the full statement below

In a statement, the union described the intervention as commendable but questioned the lack of transparency on the total tuition fee structure and how much students are now expected to pay under the new arrangement.

“We wish to know the total tuition fee amount before the 50% absorption and the agreed fee structure between government and principals of training institutions, to enable students and parents to plan appropriately,” the statement read.

UTNMG also called on government to clarify whether continuing students in levels 200 and 300 would benefit from the policy, stressing that equity required such relief measures to be extended fairly to all trainee nurses.

Beyond tuition, the union raised concerns over feeding fees, which currently stand at GHS 1,800 per semester. It urged government to absorb part of this cost to ease the financial burden on parents and guardians.

The statement further pressed government to grant financial clearance for the 2020 referral batch in the upcoming 2026 budget reading, noting that the group had “waited far too long for clarity on their placement.”

On the ongoing debate over the possible cancellation of the Nurse Assistant Preventive (NAP) and Nurse Assistant Clinical (NAC) programs, the union demanded that government publicly state its official position, arguing that the issue carried serious implications for students and the profession.

UTNMG also reminded authorities of allowance arrears owed to the 2024 batch of trainees currently undertaking national service, urging prompt payment.

Expressing frustration over the lack of dialogue, the union revealed that repeated attempts to engage the Ministry of Health had been unsuccessful.

“We therefore use this statement to renew our call on the Ministry and all relevant authorities to engage with us in good faith for the collective interest of trainee nurses and midwives across the country,” it added.

Source: Jagri Boaz Binyinjom

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The protest is expected to take place from September 23 to 25, 2025 in both Accra and Tamale as the health professionals prepare themselves to mass up and register their discontent at the government.

The coalition, comprising over 7,000 registered nurses and midwives, argues the government has failed to honour financial obligations despite their financial clearance.

A statement signed by its national convener, Stephen K. Takyiah spelt out a series of activities to vent their displeasure, including continuous picketing at the Health and Finance ministries to demand payments due them.

According to them, despite having worked tirelessly since January this year, they are yet to see the fruits of their labour which has since plunged them into an economic quagmire.

“This has pushed many of us into severe financial and emotional distress, making it challenging to provide for our families, pay rent, and afford basic necessities,” the group noted.

While the group readies for the national protest, they are demanding clarity on certain contradictions put out by their employer.

“How can financial clearance ‘expire’ after a nurse or midwife has already been granted access to the Ministry’s official recruitment portal? How is it possible that the same clearance gets some people paid, yet others recruited under the same process are left to suffer under the excuse of expiration?” they quizzed.

The ministry had earlier claimed over 7,000 nurses and midwives have been paid.

The nurses want a true representation of the figures and clear explanation detailing the payments made so far as they anticipate a definite timeline for all the unpaid members to receive their salaries.

Speaking during an engagement with health workers at Bibiani Government Hospital in the Western North Region, the Minister acknowledged the challenges faced by affected nurses and appealed for patience as steps are being taken to clear the arrears.

“We understand the challenges the delay has brought to you and your families, and I want to assure you that the Ministry of Health, together with the Ministry of Finance, is taking the necessary steps to settle all outstanding salaries soon,” he stated.

He emphasised that the government remains committed to the welfare of health professionals and will ensure the timely payment of their entitlements.

Mr. Akandoh noted that 7,000 unpaid nurses are currently enrolled on payroll and receiving monthly salaries, while the government continues to migrate the remaining numbers.

The Minister further encouraged nurses to continue delivering quality healthcare while the payment processes are finalised.

He also addressed concerns about expanding the list of medicines covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and urged patients to adhere strictly to medical prescriptions as part of efforts to improve healthcare delivery.

READ MORE 

Source: Augustine Boah

]]> https://www.adomonline.com/unpaid-nurses-and-midwives-protest-over-8-month-salary-arrears/ Mon, 18 Aug 2025 16:13:05 +0000 https://www.adomonline.com/?p=2568525 A coalition representing over 7,000 nurses and midwives working in public health facilities across Ghana has staged a protest, demanding the immediate payment of eight months of salary arrears.

The health professionals, who have been without pay since January of this year, say they are facing severe economic hardship.

The group, calling itself the Coalition of Unpaid Nurses and Midwives, demonstrated today, highlighting the dire conditions they are working under.

According to the coalition, the government has failed to honour its financial obligations despite having granted them financial clearance, a key step in authorising their salaries.

In an interview, the Convener for the coalition, Stephen Kwadwo Takyiah, captured the emotional toll of the situation on the health workers.

He stated that they are “emotionally drained” from continuing to work with no assurances for their payment anytime soon.

This emotional and financial strain, the coalition argues, has plunged them into an “economic quagmire” where they are struggling to meet basic needs such as rent and transportation.

The demonstration shines a spotlight on a long-standing issue within the public sector, where newly employed professionals often endure prolonged delays in receiving their salaries.

For nurses and midwives, whose services are critical to the country’s healthcare delivery, these delays not only compromise their personal well-being but could also affect the quality of care provided to patients.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance have yet to issue a public statement regarding the protest or provide a timeline for the disbursement of the salary arrears.

The coalition has vowed to continue its push for payment, arguing that its dedication to its work should be met with timely and consistent compensation.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

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According to Priscilla Sarkodie, health facilities, especially CHPS Compounds in the district, are unable to operate at full capacity due to the shortfall in health professionals.

She says support from allied health professionals and technicians can significantly enhance service delivery.

Ahafo Ano South-East District habours some of the deprived communities in the Ashanti region, including access to healthcare.

District Health Director, Priscilla Sarkodie, says shortage of health professionals and access to services like the internet make work difficult.

She also noted that poor road conditions hinder the transfer of patients from home to health facilities and the ability of caregivers to reach out.

She was speaking at an event to commemorate International Nurses Day on the theme: “Strengthening Leadership for Quality Healthcare and Global Impact”.

Meanwhile, a leader of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association in the Ashanti Region, Philemon Adu Brimpong, wants the Health Minister, Mintah Akandoh to resign from his position for failing to address critical issues in the sector.

Dr. Asante-Krobea said the Minister’s actions and utterances have only worsened the situation and that his posture towards the striking nurses is disrespectful and unhelpful.

“I think the Minister owes the nurses an apology—not for anything they did directly, but for the kind of treatment they’re receiving. The Minister’s commentary has been highly insulting. You don’t tell nurses to return for renegotiation in such a dismissive tone. It’s unfair,” he said.

He made this known in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem.

Dr. Asante-Krobea accused the Health Ministry of “playing games” with the nurses, adding that the ministry has not demonstrated seriousness in addressing their grievances.

“They know the issues. The solution is right in front of them. Even if you can’t offer everything the nurses are demanding, you can meet them halfway. That’s how leadership works,” he added.

His remarks come in the wake of a press conference held by the Health Minister on June 10, where Mr. Akandoh appealed to retired nurses and midwives to volunteer temporarily in the hospitals while the strike persists.

FMR PRES NURSES SPEAKS

“Given the seriousness of the situation, government appeals to public-spirited retired nurses and midwives to volunteer their services for a brief period pending the resolution of the impasse,” Mr. Akandoh said at the event.

Dr. Asante-Krobea found this appeal inappropriate and accused the Minister of shifting blame.

“If patients are dying, it is not the nurses who are killing them. It is the Minister’s inaction and poor handling of the matter. Nurses are only demanding what is due them. There is no crime in that,” he stressed.

He further described the Minister’s comments as “very regrettable and insulting” and urged him to return to the negotiation table with pragmatic and respectful solutions.

“The Minister doesn’t understand solidarity. You don’t govern by issuing appeals that lack empathy. You sit down, you listen, you negotiate in good faith,” Dr. Asante-Krobea added.

He concluded by encouraging the nurses to remain resolute and firm in their demands while urging the government to adopt a more plausible and constructive approach to resolving the strike.

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Your demands for fair pay, improved working conditions, and relief from burnout are not only legitimate but urgent. No one should have to endure the daily struggles you face in our health facilities.

Your fight for justice is valid, and the government must accelerate its efforts to genuinely honour its commitments and bring about a swift resolution.

Yet, as you stand firm in your protest, I ask you to pause for a moment and consider the profound impact of your absence—not as a critique, but as a reminder of the sacred responsibility you carry. In this country, nursing is more than a profession; it is a calling deeply woven into our cultural fabric—a symbol of care, compassion, and community.

It is a trust placed in you by every mother who brings her newborn to your care, every elderly father hoping for comfort in his twilight years, and every expectant woman praying for a safe delivery.

Right now, those prayers are echoing in hospitals and clinics left dangerously understaffed. The vulnerable children, the elderly, and pregnant women are the ones bearing the heaviest burden. Lives that could be saved, suffering that could be eased, and hope that could be restored are slipping through the cracks.

It is heartbreaking to witness, even from a distance, the avoidable loss of life unfolding in the absence of those who know best how to heal.

I do not blame you. The health sector’s challenges are real and complex, and the government must respond with urgency and empathy to your demands. But I ask you to weigh those systemic failings against the immediate human cost.

Every day without nurses on the frontlines is a day our people face heightened risks—a fragile child with pneumonia left to struggle without care, a mother laboring alone, an elderly patient deteriorating without comfort or timely attention.

Our nurses are the backbone of Ghana’s healthcare system. When you walk out, the system falters, and it is the most defenseless among us who pay the price. In Ghanaian society, where the value of “Obra pa ne Nyame” (a good life is from God) holds deep meaning, the nurse’s role is sacred—a guardian of life entrusted with the well-being of the community.

This is not just a job; it is a moral covenant to preserve life and dignity.

I ask you, in the spirit of that covenant, to consider returning to work even as negotiations continue. Your presence in hospitals can mean the difference between life and death for thousands.

It can restore a measure of peace to families anxiously waiting in wards, fearing the worst. It can reaffirm to the nation the enduring power of compassion and selflessness.

Your sacrifices are acknowledged and honoured. Burnout is real, and it is cruel to expect superheroes to work without respite or reward. But your role is irreplaceable, and your compassion unmatched. We need you back—not just as nurses, but as pillars of hope in this moment of crisis.

Let us not allow the necessary fight for better conditions to overshadow our shared humanity. The true victory lies in unity between you, the government, and the people you serve. We must engage in open, honest dialogue that respects your rights and safeguards the lives entrusted to your care.

Together, we can demand systemic reforms and advocate for fair treatment without forsaking the vulnerable lives that depend on your expertise and kindness every day. The road ahead is challenging, but it is not impassable. It calls for courage, empathy, and, above all, unity.

To the nurses of Ghana, I say this: your work saves lives. Your compassion heals wounds unseen. Your presence restores hope. Please come back to the wards. Ghana needs you now more than ever.

To the government and stakeholders, I urge immediate and sincere engagement with the concerns of our nurses. Let this be a moment not of division, but of solidarity, where every Ghanaian’s right to quality healthcare is upheld.

In the spirit of care, courage, and collective responsibility, let us walk this path together.

Your immediate return is not a surrender of your rightful demands; it is an act of extraordinary humanity. It demonstrates that even amidst your struggle, the sanctity of life remains paramount.

Please, return to your posts. Go back to the wards, to the bedsides, to the operating theatres. Look into the eyes of the mother whose child struggles to breathe, the elderly patient weakening without care, or the accident victim desperately awaiting your life-saving touch. These are our families, our neighbours, and vulnerable Ghanaians whose very survival depends on your skill and dedication.

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His remarks follow a nationwide strike by members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), who are demanding urgent improvements to their service conditions.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, Mr. Akandoh reiterated the government’s commitment to dialogue but highlighted the economic implications of the union’s proposals.

“The government remains open to further engagement, with the aim of implementing conditions of service in a way that does not disrupt the national budget,” he stated.

He noted that the proposed benefits were not included in the 2025 national budget and, if adopted in their current form, could place unsustainable pressure on the economy.

“We want to draw attention to the fact that the conditions being referenced are not captured in the 2025 budget and their immediate implementation would severely derail the country’s economic stability,” the Minister explained.

Mr. Akandoh emphasized the need for fiscal responsibility, pointing to the dangers of unplanned expenditure.

“We are fully aware of the serious economic consequences of unbudgeted spending. It is critical that we avoid a repeat of the economic challenges we’ve experienced in the past,” he said.

The Minister further appealed to the leadership of the GRNMA to return to the negotiation table in good faith to reach a mutually acceptable resolution.

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In many health facilities, nurses have abandoned post, leaving patients stranded.

The Ministry of Health has responded by issuing a series of emergency directives aimed at maintaining essential healthcare services while the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) proceeds with its industrial action.

In a statement released by Tony Goodman, spokesperson for the ministry, a high-level meeting took place on May 30, 2025, between the Ministry and major stakeholders in the nursing and midwifery sector.

The meeting included representatives from the GRNMA, the Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives (UPNMG), the Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA), the National Association of Registered Midwives (NARM-G), the Psychiatric Nurses Association of Ghana (PAPNG), and the Nurses and Midwives Educators Society.

At the meeting, the unions presented a unified demand for the implementation of a Collective Agreement signed in 2024, which they claim has not been honored. Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh assured the stakeholders that their concerns would be addressed promptly.

While most of the associations agreed to continue offering services, the GRNMA maintained its position to go ahead with the strike, prompting the Ministry to prepare for the disruption.

In many hospitals, nurses have abandoned post, leaving patients tranded at the OPD

Ministry responds with contingency plans

In anticipation of the strike’s impact, the Ministry has instructed public health facilities to activate contingency plans. Key measures include:

• Hospital managers, especially Directors of Nursing Services and their Deputies, are required to be present at work throughout the strike period.
• Unit heads must ensure that maternity and emergency services remain operational in all hospitals.
• The Ambulance Service is to remain on standby across all districts to assist with emergency cases.
• Coordinating structures are to be set up to manage emergencies, ensuring a continuous link with ambulance services.
• Daily reports on service delivery from the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, CEO’s, and Medical Directors of Teaching Hospitals will be submitted to the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry.
• The Ministry will collaborate with quasi-government health facilities to handle the expected increase in patient numbers during the strike.
• Rotational nurses and nurses undergoing mandatory clinicals have been advised not to participate in the strike.

The Ministry emphasized that it is closely monitoring the situation to ensure that all necessary logistics and support systems are in place to mitigate the disruption caused by the industrial action.

While acknowledging the nurses and midwives who have chosen not to join the strike, the Ministry has reiterated its appeal to the GRNMA to reconsider its decision, highlighting that discussions are ongoing to resolve the outstanding issues.

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Ashanti Regional Chairman, Jones Afriyie-Anto, says this is critical to motivate the low number of midwives serving the various hospitals.

Addressing the 2025 International Day of Midwives symposium, he observed the limited employment window for trained midwives and poor service conditions have compelled many skilled nurses to seek opportunities abroad.

The 2025 International Day of Midwives symposium in the Ashanti Region had the theme: “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis”.

The event aims to advocate for and raise awareness about the vital contributions midwives make globally, highlighting their essential role in improving maternal and child health.

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association expressed concern that their conditions of service negotiated with the government have not been implemented as promised.

Ashanti Regional Chairman, Jones Afriyie-Anto, also decried the limited job opportunities for midwifery trainees, noting that trainees who completed school in 2021 are still home.

He said this situation has led many skilled nurses to seek opportunities abroad, significantly increasing challenges for those who remain at post and their patients.

Principal of Kokofu Nursing Training College, Joyce Gifty Otchere, highlighted the lack of laboratory equipment and materials for practical training.

She is urging the government to allocate resources for training schools, while improving accommodation for both staff and students.

Meanwhile, Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, has announced the Afari Military Hospital will be commissioned in September this year to begin operations.

He noted the Regional Coordinating Council has successfully enlisted private hospitals to work alongside government hospitals to ease their workload and enhance overall care delivery.

The advice came from the Member of Parliament for the Pru East Constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Kweku Boam, during the school’s matriculation and graduation ceremony held in Yeji.

In his address, the MP expressed concern over the increasing number of trainee nurses and midwives who spend valuable time on social media instead of focusing on their studies and professional development.

He urged the students to remain disciplined, reminding them that their roles in the healthcare profession are essential to the well-being of society.

Also speaking at the event, the Principal of the College, Madam Vincencia Mottey, appealed to the government, the MP, and philanthropic organizations to support the institution with much-needed infrastructure.

She highlighted the pressing need for lecture halls, a modern dining facility, and a well-equipped laboratory to enhance teaching and learning at the college.

The ceremony brought together students, staff, community leaders, and invited guests, who echoed calls for discipline among trainee health professionals and greater investment in nursing education.

He said this would ensure that the allowances would be paid regularly to the students, just like the CAGD paid salaries to government workers.

He said this was to eliminate the delays associated with the payment of the allowances to the beneficiary students.

President Mahama made the announcement when he addressed a durbar at the Jubilee Park in Tamale as part of his “Thank You Tour” of the Northern Region following his victory at the Presidential Elections in December.

President Mahama, earlier in the day, paid a courtesy call on Ya-Na Abukari II, Overlord of Dagbon at the Gbewaa Palace as part of his Thank You Tour of the region.

The President reiterated some of the activities proposed in the 2025 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government, saying resources had been allocated to provide free sanitary pads for girls in schools to ensure they remained in school during their menstrual periods.

He gave assurance of completing the Eastern Corridor Road amongst others to improve transportation in the country.

He expressed gratitude to the people of the region for overwhelmingly endorsing the National Democratic Congress during the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in December.

Mr Ali Adolf John, Northern Regional Minister appealed to the President to consider establishing a military barracks at Yendi to amongst others address the recurrent conflicts experienced along the Eastern Corridor of the country.

Speaking at a cholera sensitisation programme at the Winneba Government Hospital, the minister expressed concern that such conduct discourages many people from seeking medical attention, even when critically ill.

According to the minister, while most healthcare workers are dedicated and compassionate, a few “bad nuts” tarnish the image of the profession with their poor attitudes, creating an environment of fear and mistrust among patients.

“We have fantastic and very professional health workers but there are a few bad nuts amongst them, especially the way some of you handle patients. Sometimes you will be surprised to hear that somebody may be sick, (especially the aged). If you ask him or her to go to the hospital, he will say the nurse will insult me or shout at me.

“Irrespective of the level of provocation, we expect you to be very professional, its an appeal to the few bad nuts that are amongst you. Some of these things I will take it seriously. It doesn’t mean that we are going to come after somebody but it’s important for us to protect our patients and also make them feel comfortable,” he said.

He emphasised the need for professionalism, urging healthcare workers to remain patient and courteous even in the face of extreme provocation.

The minister also argued that some health centres across the country have seen a sharp decline in attendance due to the treatment meted out to patients.

“And it is one of the reasons, why sometimes you go to some districts and the attendance or records at the government facility is lower than the private ones. It’s based on how you handle the patients. It’s a fact and we shouldn’t cover it. We must expose it to ensure the right thing is done.”

The minister hinted at stricter enforcement of disciplinary measures for those found guilty of misconduct while also pledging to improve working conditions to address the frustrations some nurses face.

He says quality service delivery is adversely impacted when the experienced health professionals abandon post for greener pastures outside the country.

“it’s worried a lot of the young, experienced nurses are traveling out of the country,” he said.

Speaking at the sendoff ceremony of Augustina Barbara Nkrumah, He observed the young, experienced nurses to replace the retiring professionals are fast depleting.

The hire attrition rate of health professionals has been a subject of public discussion in recent times.

The government has been enjoined to institute measures to retain health professionals in the interest of patients.

For 37 years, Augustina Barbara Nkrumah dedicated her life to serving patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

She is retiring as the Chief Nursing Officer at the Emergency Medicine Directorate of the hospital.

Her colleagues celebrate her contribution to dedication to good service delivery.

In her keynote address, Barbara Nkrumah urged the young nurses to uphold professionalism in their care for patients.

“You need to adhere respect to any patients because you don’t know his or her where about,” she said

The Association, however, reaffirmed its commitment to the fight against illegal mining.

In an emergency meeting held on October 8, 2024, the National Council of GRNMA issued a communique directing all nurses and midwives across the country to remain at their posts and continue providing essential healthcare services.

The GRNMA has opted to keep its members on duty, prioritizing the delivery of quality health services to Ghanaians.

The Association expressed its solidarity with fellow unions in the fight against galamsey, which has caused significant environmental damage in parts of the country.

GRNMA President, Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, along with General Secretary Dr. David Tenkorang-Twum, emphasized the Association’s advocacy for stronger national interventions to tackle the menace of illegal mining.

Find attached press statement:

He also promised to review the current nursing trainees’ allowance system to address their concerns.

While addressing students at the Ntotronso Nursing and Midwifery College in the Ahafo Region, Mahama reaffirmed the NDC’s commitment to waiving academic user fees for first-year university students.

“I know all the problems you have with your allowances and everything, and we are going to come and make things better for you. We will restore automatic posting so that when you graduate, you can secure a job as quickly as possible,” he stated.

“Your younger brothers and sisters who will come after you won’t have to pay any school fees in their first year,” he added.

Mahama also pledged to continue the construction of ongoing hospital projects to create employment opportunities for nursing graduates.

He encouraged the students to support the NDC in the upcoming December 7 elections.

“We will complete all the hospitals under construction so that we can employ as many of you as possible. As I’ve explained to your patron, I will create a proper program and come to speak to you again.

“But for now, I couldn’t pass by without saying a word. Keep your voting cards safe and on December 7, vote for change and the 24-hour economy,” he urged.

Source: Kwame Anum

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Also, the former President has said he will institute the “Teacher Dabr3” Project to provide accommodation facilities for teachers within their schools.

Speaking at the NDC manifesto launch in Winneba on Saturday, Mr Mahama explained the initiative will ensure that all new school projects will have accommodation attached.

Moreso, Mr Mahama has promised to implement a 20 percent basic salary which is a special allowance for teachers & health workers who accept postings from to rural and underserved communities.

“Expand infrastructure to ensure prompt employment of nurses, health workers and teachers.

“Assist teachers to own vehicles of their choice by offering flexible duty payment arrangements and employer guarantees in partnership with teacher unions and the banking sector,” he added.

Source: Adomonline.com

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This significant move aims to bolster the healthcare workforce and improve service delivery across the country.

The recruitment process will begin on Monday, 5th August 2024, at 12:00 noon.

Qualified applicants are invited to submit their applications via the Ministry of Health’s online application portal.

Interested individuals should visit https://hr.moh.gov.gh to log in and select their preferred agency within the Ministry.

All applications must be submitted by Friday, 23rd August 2024, at 6:00 pm.

The Ministry of Health emphasizes that the recruitment process will be conducted transparently.

Applicants are cautioned against any attempts by individuals claiming to offer assistance for a fee.

The Ministry strongly advises against making any payments, as the recruitment process does not require any financial transactions. Individuals who engage in such transactions do so at their own risk.

The recruitment initiative is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance the healthcare sector by expanding the workforce and improving healthcare access.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to adhere to the official application procedures and ensure their applications are submitted within the specified timeframe.

Find attached press statement:

He expressed his frustration over the unemployment situation among nurses in Ghana saying the number of nurses in the health facilities are inadequate.

Speaking at the launch of the 2024 Nurses and Midwives week in the Ashanti region, he called on government to take pragmatic steps in recruiting nurses currently awaiting posting.

“Why would we be crying for shortage of nurses while we have nurses staying in the house after school for over 4 years?, we cannot be complaining while there are solutions available to the problem”.

Dr. Tinkorang downplayed the claim of financial constraints in employing more nurses suggesting government employs these nurses with the salaries of those who have left.

“As a country, we must look at possible ways to recruit these nurses and one of the ways to do this is by using the salaries of nurses who have traveled out of the country. Thoe nurses were taking salary before leaving, so what happens to that salary since they are not working in the country anymore?”

On health infrastructure development and access to quality health services, Dr. Tinkorang revealed that all new hospitals built in the region especially the Fomena hospital will be operationalized as specialist hospitals to improve health care in the region.

” In order to ensure universal coverage as this year’s theme implies; all newly established hospitals in the region are being converted into a specialist hospital. For example, the Fomena hospital will have specialist to attend to gynaecological cases in or to reduce maternal and child mortality.” he added.

This advice was given by the Deputy Director in charge of Clinicals in Bono East, Hellen Agozo, at the launch of Nurses and Midwives Week in Kintampo.

It is estimated that in 2024 alone, over 720 nurses and midwives have left Ghana to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

This is a worrying situation that has become a major health concern for all.

At the launch of Nurses and Midwives Week in Kintampo on Tuesday, Ms. Agozo, advised the young professionals who are eager to leave the country to do so with caution, adding that experience is crucial.

The Bono East Regional Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Joyce A. Eshun, called for more training and scholarships for members to boost their morale and encourage them to stay in the country.

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The suspects were caught red-handed distributing large quantities of Tramadol, including 150mg and 250mg doses, to dealers of these restricted drugs.

They were found in possession of multiple boxes of Tramadol, which they were selling at significantly lower prices than the market value.

Tramadol, a potent pain medication, is tightly regulated due to its potential for abuse and addiction. The recommended dosage is typically 50mg.

Upon interrogation, the suspects admitted to the criminal nature of their action.

They confessed to selling Tramadol along with other drugs to residents in the area.

The arrests came after security officials observed suspicious activities and confronted the suspects.

The Council explained that the strike action is part of a series of activities aimed at drumming home the demand for a review of the 445.5% increment in the license verification fee imposed on nurses and midwives.

Nurses and midwives were therefore obligated to pay GHȼ3,000.00 to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana for the verification of licenses, a development the Association was unhappy about.

A communique signed by the President of the GRNMA, Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, and copied to Myjoyonline.com instructed members of the association at all health facilities to wear red bands between 22nd to 27th March, 2024.

It also indicated that a major press conference would be held on 27th March 2024 to engage the media on the subject matter and other related issues.

This would be followed by an indefinite strike action with the withdrawal of services at the outpatient departments of health facilities across the country from the 28th of March to the 2nd of April 2024.

Service would subsequently be withdrawn at in-patient departments on the 3rd of April 2024 if nothing is done about the demand of the Association.

“These actions have become necessary because, although the GRNMA officially communicated its
discontentment about the 445.5% increment in the Verification Fee and request for a review of the amount to an acceptable level more than a week ago, the institutions involved which are the Parliament of Ghana, the Ministry of Health, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council are yet to even acknowledge receipt of our letters and to make any effort towards having the GHȼ3,000.00 reviewed”, Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo stated.

She, therefore, directed all nurses and midwives to adhere to the communique and not succumb to any form of intimidation or threats.

She opined that a 25% increment in the license verification fee was fair and could be afforded by members.

“We wish to reiterate that, considering the current economic challenges and the fact that our salaries are not the best, nurses and midwives of Ghana can only contain a maximum of 25% increment which in our view can be borne by all grades of nurses and midwives”, she concluded.

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Parliament announced a significant increase in the cost of foreign verification from GH¢550 to a substantial GH¢3,000, representing a staggering 445.45% rise.

Efforts urging the Health Ministry and the Nurses and Midwives Council to reconsider the fees have been unsuccessful.

Therefore, the leadership of the nurses has outlined a series of actions to voice their objection to the new fees. These actions will be implemented from March 22 to April 3, 2024.

Starting from March 22 to 27, departments and wards where nurses and midwives operate throughout the nation will be adorned with red bands, as symbols of protest.

A press conference is scheduled for March 27, 2024, alongside the consequential suspension of outpatient department services from March 28 to April 2, 2024.

“These actions have become necessary because, although the GRNMA officially communicated its discontentment about the 445.5% increment in the Verification Fee and requested for review of the amount of an acceptable level more than a week ago, the institutions involved which are the Parliament of Ghana, the Ministry of Health and the Nursing and Midwifery Council are yet to even acknowledge receipt of our letters and to make any effort towards having the GH¢3,000.00 reviewed,” a statement signed by its National President, Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo indicated.

“All nurses and midwives are expected to fully participate in the above-stated actions because it is their right to do so and therefore under no circumstance should they be threatened or coerced,” it said.

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In a statement released on Thursday, March 7, 2024, the MoH said the recruitment process will kick off on Monday, March 11, 2024.

It has been explicitly clarified by the Ministry that no charges will be imposed for recruitment or placement. As such, applicants are strongly advised against making any payments throughout the procedure.

The deadline for submitting applications is set for Friday, March 15, 2024.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to use only the MoH’s online application portal for submission and to promptly report any instances of fee requests to the Chief Director.

Below is the full statement

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Francisca Nana Arthur said this while speaking in an interview with Adom News at the school’s 1st graduation and 4th matriculation ceremonies in Kpando

The college, which started on March, 15, 2021 with 49 students comprising 15 males and 34 females, now has a student population of 330 students, comprising 252 females and 78 males.

46 students of the first batch have graduated.

As the college enrolled its 2nd and 3rd batch of students and graduated the first batch of the school, she urged the graduates to stay in the country to work for mother Ghana as health practitioners.

She stressed that, everyone has a duty to contribute to the nation’s progress.

“It will be unlawful for the government to spend on you as health practitioners and after graduation, you leave your country to another country therefore, love your country and don’t be in a hurry to abandon it to go and develop another country” Ms. Arthur said.

The principal underscored the importance of integrity in the healthcare profession, emphasizing the value of truthfulness and integrity.

She urged the students to be fair, avoid discrimination and treat everyone with respect and dignity.

The overall best student, Fiakorme Bright Kweku in his address encouraged the students to be courageous and learn hard to achieve their aims and dreams in life.

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Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, Madam Ampofo highlighted the significant investments made by the Ghanaian government and taxpayers in training healthcare professionals.

She pointed out that these professionals received highly subsidised education, with their training funded by the tax contributions of the Ghanaian populace. Therefore, the mass departure of trained nurses poses a substantial challenge to the nation.

“It is not the best that we have our professionals whom we have used the taxpayers’ money to train, such that during their training, they did not pay full school fees; it was highly subsidised, and it was your tax and my tax that trained them and we can’t sit aloof and have them all leave,” she told Ayisha Ibrahim on Wednesday.

In 2022 alone, approximately 4,000 nurses relocated to Western countries to render their services abroad.

It is on the back of such staggering numbers that the GRNMA President demands realistic solutions to the problem.

Another key concern Madam Ampofo raised was the involvement of recruitment agencies that actively seek out Ghanaian nurses and midwives.

She further accused the government of poaching these professionals under the guise of it being a personal decision.

“But at the end of the day, we must look at it as a country and ask ourselves whether we will be able to achieve the specific targets of SDG 3. It looks like we will not be able to attain this by the year 2030 and the fact that you and I have taken the decision to live in Ghana, we deserve and every citizen deserves quality services including health, education, transport, and everything else and it is important that government takes these things seriously,” she said.

According to her, the situation is dire and has far-reaching consequences.

Madam Ampofo intimated that the shortage of healthcare professionals not only affects the quality of health services in Ghana but also puts a strain on the overall development goals.

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According to the Association, the non-payment of the allowances for two years has made life unbearable for trainee nurses and midwives.

The leadership of the Association says all efforts to get the government, through the Ministry of Health, to pay their allowances have proven futile.

Speaking to Citi News, the National President of the Ghana Nurse and Midwife Trainees’ Association, Pascal Adumbisa said his outfit will use all reasonable and lawful means to ensure that the allowances are paid.

“We are owed about almost two years and others are also owed about 18 months and those in the second year are owed about 16 months and some are owed 14 months so we issued a statement on July 25 to government because we have had engagements with stakeholders on the issue of allowance, but we have not had any response from the Ministry,” she said.

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The examinations started today, Friday, September 8, 2023, and will end on Tuesday, September 26, 2023.

A total of 32,145 candidates are expected to sit for the licensing examination in 88 centres.

The Acting Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Mrs Philomina Woolley, together with some management members, toured some centres in Accra.

The comments come as the BBC finds evidence of how Ghana’s health system is struggling due to the “brain-drain”.

Many specialist nurses have left the West African country for better paid jobs overseas.

In 2022 more than 1,200 Ghanaian nurses joined the UK’s nursing register.

This comes as the National Health Service (NHS) increasingly relies on staff from non-EU countries to fill vacancies.

Although the UK says active recruitment in Ghana is not allowed, social media means nurses can easily see the vacancies available in NHS trusts. They can then apply for those jobs directly. Ghana’s dire economic situation acts as a big push factor.

Howard Catton from the International Council of Nurses (ICN) is concerned about the scale of the numbers leaving countries like Ghana.

“My sense is that the situation currently is out of control,” he told the BBC.

“We have intense recruitment taking place mainly driven by six or seven high-income countries but with recruitment from countries which are some of the weakest and most vulnerable which can ill-afford to lose their nurses.”

The head of nursing at Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Gifty Aryee, told the BBC her Intensive Care Unit alone had lost 20 nurses to the UK and US in the last six months – with grave implications.

“Care is affected as we are not able to take any more patients. There are delays and it costs more in mortality – patients die,” she said.

She added that seriously ill patients often had to be held for longer in the emergency department due to the nursing shortages.

One nurse in the hospital estimated that half of those she had graduated with had left the country – and she wanted to join them.

‘All our experienced nurses gone’

The BBC found a similar situation at Cape Coast Municipal Hospital.

The hospital’s deputy head of nursing services, Caroline Agbodza, said she had seen 22 nurses leave for the UK in the last year.

“All our critical care nurses, our experienced nurses, have gone. So we end up having nothing – no experienced staff to work with. Even if the government recruits, we have to go through the pain of training nurses again.”

Smaller clinics are also affected by staff migration because even one nurse leaving a small health centre can have a large knock-on effect.

At Ewim Health Clinic in Cape Coast, one nurse has left their small emergency department and another has left the outpatients unit. Both nurses were experienced and had found jobs in the UK.

The chief doctor there, Dr Justice Arthur, said the effects were enormous.

“Let’s take services like immunisation of children. If we lose public health nurses, then the babies that have to be immunised will not get their immunisation and we are going to have babies die,” he told the BBC.

He said adult patients would also die if there were not enough nurses to look after them after surgery.

Most of the nurses that the BBC team spoke to wanted to leave Ghana due to the fact they could earn more elsewhere.

At Kwaso healthcare centre near the city of Kumasi, Mercy Asare Afriyie explained that she was hoping to find a job in the UK soon.

“The exodus of nurses is not going to stop because of our poor conditions of service. Our salary is nothing to write home about and in two weeks you spend it. It’s from hand to mouth.”

Ghanaian nurses told the BBC that in the UK they could more than seven times what they are receiving in Ghana.

Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo from Ghana’s Nurses and Midwives Association said her country’s healthcare system needed more help.

“If you look at the numbers, then it is not ethical for the UK to recruit from Ghana because the numbers of professional nurses compared to trainee or auxiliary nurses is a problem for us,” she said.

But she added that it was not possible to stop nurses from leaving as migration was a right and that the Ghanaian government needed to do more to persuade them to stay. The health ministry in the capital, Accra, declined to comment.

Ghana is on the World Health Organization’s list of 55 vulnerable countries, which have low numbers of nurses per head of population. The list – dubbed by some as the “red list” – is designed to discourage systematic recruitment in these countries.

The UK government recently gave £15m ($18.6m) to Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya to help boost their healthcare workforces.

But the country is known to be looking at brokering a formal deal with Ghana whereby it might be able to recruit more proactively in return for giving the government there a sum of money per nurse.

It already has a similar agreement with Nepal.

But the ICN’s Mr Catton questioned whether it was enough.

He told the BBC that he believed such deals were “trying to create a veneer of ethical respectability rather than a proper reflection of the true costs to the countries which are losing their nurses”.

The WHO’s Director of Health Workforce, Jim Campbell, explained to the BBC that Brexit had been a factor in the UK turning to African countries for nurses to fill NHS vacancies.

“The labour market is extremely competitive around the world and, having closed off the potential labour market from European freedom of movement, what we’re seeing is the consequences of that in terms of attracting people from the Commonwealth and other jurisdictions.”

President of the Association, Perpetual Ofori Ampofo, says an agreement reached with the government stipulates that all pension funds will be exempted.

Pursuance to the MOU, their tier 2 and 3, including provident funds and individual bonds are secured.

She spoke to the media during the Kumasi branch commissioning of the health sector occupational pension scheme.

Government is currently working with stakeholders to arrive on a common platform concerning the domestic debt exchange program.

President of the Ghana registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Perpetual Ofori Ampofo, says hair-cut to their investment will have dire consequences on the contributors especially retirees.

The association wants the government to go by an agreement with organised labour and suspend the program to deliberate further to allay fears of retirees and contributors.

“The fear around this debt exchange program I think we have all seen, the panic in the system and all of that, at this moment we think that the government suspend it and then we look at other alternatives means addressing the debt of the country,” she suggested

The health sector occupational pension scheme, despite the huge numbers had only one office based in Accra.

To address concerns of contributors, a new office has been opened in Kumasi.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr Derek Amoateng, said the scheme has been growing with significant returns.

He is confident health workers retiring will go with a smile.

He says there are plans to extend their service to Takoradi, Tamale and other regions to ease the processing for contributors.

“Our contributors are all-over the country and there was the need to get close to them, staying in Accra and relating to them via virtual means was not good enough, so we find the need to open an office in Kumasi, we are not ending it here we are going to Takoradi, Tamale and other regions as well so that we can reach out to as many people as possible,” he noted.

Staff will continue to provide “life-preserving” and some urgent care but routine surgery and other planned treatment is likely to be disrupted.

The Royal College of Nursing said staff had been given no choice after ministers refused to reopen pay talks.

The UK government said the RCN’s 19% pay rise demand was unaffordable.

The action will involve nurses in around a quarter of hospitals and community teams in England, all health boards in Northern Ireland and all but one in Wales. Nurses are not striking in Scotland.

Under trade union laws, the RCN has to ensure life-preserving care continues during the 12-hour strike.

Chemotherapy and kidney dialysis should run as normal, along with intensive and critical care, children’s accident and emergency and hospital neonatal units, which look after newborn babies.

Beyond that, it will be up to NHS boards and trusts to negotiate services on a local level, with discussions likely to come down to the circumstances of some individual patients.

The biggest impact is likely to be in pre-booked treatment such as hernia repair, hip replacements or outpatient clinics.

The NHS has said it is “vital” people continue to come forward for emergency care during the strikes and anyone not contacted to reschedule an appointment should attend as planned.

The RCN balloted more than 300,000 nurses across individual NHS trusts and boards rather than in a single, national vote.

This means some nurses are not entitled to take industrial action, because the turnout in their local area was too low.

In England, the first round of strikes will go ahead in 51 of 219 hospitals, mental-health trusts and community services.

Strikes are also going ahead in all of Northern Ireland’s health boards and all but one in Wales, the Aneurin Bevan.

Most GP services will be unaffected, as nurses working directly for practices were not entitled to take part in the vote, but the strike will include district nurses working in people’s homes or community settings.

A second day of strike action will go ahead on 20 December, unless there is a breakthrough in talks.

In England and Wales, most NHS staff have already received a pay rise of roughly £1,400 this year – worth about 4% on average for nurses.

The political situation in Northern Ireland meant there was a delay in processing the increase – but nurses should receive backdated payments before the end of the year.

The RCN wants a larger rise, of 5% above the RPI inflation rate, which currently stands at 14%, saying its members have received years of below-inflation pay increases.

England’s Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, said further pay rises would mean taking money away from other front-line services.

“I’ve been working across government and with medics outside the public sector to ensure safe staffing levels – but I do remain concerned about the risk that strikes pose to patients,” he said.

Mr Barclay added that the government had followed the recommendation of the independent NHS Pay Review Body, which said in July NHS staff should receive the £1,400 increase, with slightly more for the most experienced nurses.

The body, made up mainly of economists and human-resources (HR) professionals, had been asked to base that recommendation on a range of factors, including:

• the need to recruit staff
• the funds available to the NHS
• the government’s 2% inflation target

Welsh ministers said they were unable to enter pay talks without extra funding from the UK government.

In Scotland, the RCN’s strike action has been “paused”, after ministers made a fresh offer worth just over £2,200 a year for most NHS staff. Nurses have been asked to vote on that deal, with results due next week.

Union bosses have offered to suspend strikes if the UK government agrees to reopen serious discussions over pay.

But a face-to-face meeting earlier this week broke down, with the RCN accusing Mr Barclay of “belligerence” and having “too little to say”.

This will be only the second time RCN members have walked out in its 106-year history. Until 1995, the union had a formal no-strike policy in its rulebook.

In 2019, nurses in Northern Ireland went on strike over pay. And in 2014, those in England who were members of Unison walked out – also over pay.

This winter, a number of other major health unions, including Unison, the GMB, Unite the Union and the Royal College of Midwives, have also voted to strike in different parts of the UK, with a series of walkouts planned over Christmas and the new year.

Some nurses of a private health facility are facing backlash for their nonchalant attitude that contributed to the demise of reality TV star, Rico Swavey.

The ex-BBNaija housemate passed on on Wednesday, October 10, from injuries of an accident he was involved in on Monday.

While social media was flooded with messages of condolence, a video of the last moments of the celebrity was shared online, igniting fury in Nigerians.

In the circulating video, an unconscious Rico was leaning in a chair while receiving oxygen.

Rather than the health administrators offering help, they were captured laughing and taking videos of the injured celebrity.

One of the nurses could be heard suggesting he should be rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, but her colleagues refused to help her convey the patient.

Another of them can be heard saying, “Oya, make we carry am now go inside” while a nurse chuckled. Another nurse said, “His oxygen is 90%. You people should stop making videos and let’s move him. Somebody is in critical condition and you’re making videos.”

Nigerians have argued the delay in treating him contributed to him being on life support, and his subsequent death.

The video has since sparked outrage on social media with some citizens calling for the immediate dismissal of the staff who should have handled the situation with uttermost professionalism.

Meanwhile, Lagos authorities have began probing the issue and have assured to bring the perpetrators to book.

The project has 13 bedrooms with kitchens, storerooms, toilets and bathrooms.

Speaking in an interview with Adom News, the Executive Director for Fame Ghana International, Mr. Bill Warren at the inauguration ceremony at Kumdi expressed optimism that the centre would help improve healthcare delivery in the area and its environs.

“We hope that this centre would improve the community’s access to healthcare services and other essential services,” he stated.

Mr. Wisdom Yao Nyador, who is the Executive Director for Fame Ghana, also advised the beneficiaries to adopt a maintenance culture to keep the facility for its intended purpose.

The man-in-charge for Kumdi Clinic, Mr Tamakloe Elijah expressed happiness over the kind gesture, adding that, it has reduced some challenges confronting him and his staff over the years.

“I am, therefore, happy that Fame Ghana has done part of our job,” he said and also seized the opportunity to highlight some other challenges confronting the facility and also appealed for support.

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He said in spite of the shortage of health professionals in the Region, and the difficulty in attracting health professionals, especially doctors and other paramedics, 150 nurses and midwives have requested postings out of the Region.

This, he said is a major concern to his outfit.

“There is high number of staff requesting postings outside the Region. As we reviewed, we had 150 nurses and other health professionals requesting to leave the Region.”

Dr Dzotsi said this when he addressed the 13th Biennial General Conference of the Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA) in Bolgatanga on the theme; “Evidence from data to champion investments in midwifery; Monitor the investments for quality midwifery.”

He said if all the 150 nurses were allowed to leave the Region, health facilities would be left without professionals to offer health care services, especially at the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, where nurses and midwives played critical roles.

On the shortage of Doctors as a major challenge in the Region over the years, the Director said “Last year, out of nine Doctors posted, only one reported.

“This year, we had four Doctors, but as I speak, they have not reported. Even if you call them, they don’t answer, it is a big challenge to the Region,” he said.

Dr Dzotsi said the GHS would adopt strategies to regulate postings of critical health staff out of the Region to ensure effective health care delivery.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) interviewed some nurses and midwives across health facilities in the Region on why they would request to leave the area, most of them, especially those from Southern Ghana, said there were limited opportunities for career progression in the Region.

According to them, the regional GHS officials are not unwilling to release qualified nurses and midwives for further studies, coupled with delays and in some cases denied promotions as compared to other Regions.

“Most of my colleagues in other Regions were given opportunities to go to school and pursue other programmes but in this Region, it is difficult to get that opportunity,” a nurse at Tongo in the Talensi District said.

Another nurse in the Kassena-Nankana West District told the GNA that “Honestly if I get the opportunity now to leave the Region, I will not even think twice about it. I have served more than the required number of years and I am qualified for postings out of here.

“Apart from that, my colleagues in other Regions on the same grade with me as Senior Staff Nurse, are now my seniors. They were given opportunities, for further studies. I have been applying every year in this Region to no avail,” the nurse added.

A midwife in the Bongo District also said “I am from this Region and would not want to leave, but delayed promotions, issues of salary arrears, and study leave are some of the issues that may push me to request postings out of my Region. Apart from these, I have no problem.”

Speaking during his ministerial vetting, Mr Agyeman- Manu acknowledged the frontline workers who have put their life on the line to combat the novel Coronavirus.

When asked why such a recognition has not yet been translated into monetary form, the outgoing Health Minister stated “we are doing our best”.

He attributed the delays to inconsistencies in data and said he has asked the facility managers to review the list.

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Grilled by the vetting committee that the delay could affect the moral and delivery of the said workers, Mr Agyeman-Manu gave his word that by close of this week, they will be paid.

However, he mentioned in the five-hour vetting that the payments will be made only after monies have been released to the sector.

Government is elated at the decision by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) to call off its strike.

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, said they can now heave a sigh of relief as the strike had enormous impact on health delivery in the country.

The healthcare workers in the country embarked on the strike over government’s failure to improve their conditions of service.

The group demanded some allowances due them but they claim their employer turned a deaf ear and blind eye to their concerns.

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They, therefore, resolved to go on strike on Monday, September 21, 2020, which created inconvenience to patients who visited health facilities across the country.

The National Labour Commission secured an interlocutory injunction to compel them to end the strike. GRNMA leadership has, thus, asked its members to report to their facility by Thursday, September 24, 2020.

Reacting to this, the Deputy Health Minister on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Wednesday thanked the nurses for changing their stance.

He said negotiations will resume between the leadership of GRNMA and government and the National Labour Commission.

He revealed that 80 percent of the nurses’ concerns have been met with the rest still being looked at.

He indicated that the parties have set October 28 deadline to address all demands being made by the nurses.

The Deputy Health Minister stressed that, as a government committed to healthcare delivery, “we will be the last people to frustrate nurses who have been at the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He was optimistic negotiation would end with all parties satisfied with the outcome.

The leadership of the Association in the Region said: “We are also picking signals that some managers are beginning to send intimidating messages to nurses and midwives in respect of the strike action. In this light, we urge all managers to direct their attacks to the employer and not our members”.

The GRNMA is demanding better conditions of services from the Government and hopes the strike action would send the message and trigger an immediate response.

It described its decision to embark on the strike action as “painful,” but, “we collectively resolve to take this difficult decision at this trying moment in our chosen profession, but united we stand, divided we fall.”

The GRNMA made the call on Managers in a letter jointly signed by Mr Thomas Lambon, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the Association and its Regional Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Panzin Tibil.

The letter referenced a press statement issued on September 17, and jointly signed by Presidents of the GRNMA, the Ghana Physician Assistants Association, and the Ghana Association of Registered Anaesthetists.

The Regional leadership stated that “the Regional Executive Council wishes to state emphatically that the region fully supports the action taken by the National Council to serve the interest of every nurse and midwives in the country.”

The letter further reminded members of the GRNMA that the Association was the sole mouthpiece of all nurses and midwives in Ghana, and held the collective bargaining power to negotiate for conditions of service for its members and allied Associations.

“Sadly as it appears, there is a press release purported to be speaking for a section of midwives, urging them to dissociate themselves from the course charted by the GRNMA to salvage our members.”

The Regional branch of the Association urged all nurses and midwives in the Region to remain resolute and comply with the directive of the press statement jointly issued by the leadership of the three Associations.

When the GNA contacted Mr Lambon on the intended strike action, he said the Regional branch of the Association had not received any formal communication from the national leadership of the GRNMA to call off their intended strike action tomorrow, September 21, saying “until we get any communications, we are going by our national leaders.”

Several allied Associations of the GRNMA including the Nurses and Midwives Specialists Society of Ghana (NMSSG) had also declared support for the intended strike action.

The National President of the NMSSG, Mr Mark Anthony Azongo, and the National Secretary, Mr Raphael Edem Kudzo Korkortsi, in a letter dated September 18, said: “We recognise the good efforts of the mother Association, GRNMA, in the fight for the condition of service and their contributions in promoting nurses and midwives Specialists training in Ghana.”

The NMSSG leadership urged its members to abide by the directive of the GRNMA on the strike action and called on the government to re-engage leadership of the GRNMA and agree on allowances that meet the economic needs of all nurses and midwives.

The Minister disclosed this during the briefing of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 in Abuja on April 23.

Dr Ehanire urged all health workers in the frontline of the COVID-19 fight, to always protect themselves while giving treatment to patients.

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”I applaud all our health workers in the front lines of Covid-19 pandemic and the government will continue to provide you with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). I urge you all to take the necessary precautions for your own safety.  Please do not try to treat patients without using adequate PPE. 

“This advice is necessary due to the number of health workers who have tested positive, they are over 40 now or others who have had to be quarantined in the last two weeks due to exposure,” he said.

Watch a video clip of the Minister speaking below:

Taxi drivers at Begoro in the Eastern Region have refused to pick up nurses of the district hospital after the facility confirmed its first coronavirus case.

Thirteen (13) staff of the Begoro district hospital have been quarantined after they attended to the infected person.

65 others have also been kept in self isolation.

Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Begoro District hospital, Millicent Annor, told journalists her staff are battling the COVID-19 stigma, a situation she described as worrying.

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She explained that food vendors have also stopped selling to some of her staff dressed in their nursing uniforms.

“The stigma attached to the hospital and staff at this time in this town is not good at all. Now, even taxi drivers are refusing to pick our staff because they think they will transmit the disease (COVID-19) to them.

“Our staff go to buy porridge in the morning but the porridge sellers refuse to take the money from them which is so bad,” she said.

So far, the Eastern Region has recorded 41 confirmed COVID-19 cases. It is among the 10 out of 16 regions in Ghana to have been hit with the virus.

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The Greater Accra region is the worst-hit with a total of 514 cases.

Ghana’s borders have all been shut with some cities put under a partial lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.

These cities are Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

As of April 17, 2020, some 641 persons had tested positive for the virus with 83 fully recovered and discharged whiles eight others succumbed to the disease.

The secretariat has, in a statement, directed all eligible nurses who registered for national service to log onto www.nss.gov.gh to check their placements and then proceed to the various user agencies to endorse their appointment letters.

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 However, following President Nana Akufo-Addo’s ban on public gatherings the outfit added the date for registration and validation will be communicated at a later date.

Read the full statement below:

According to the “angry and hungry” nurses, only few members have received monies and even that the monies are less than their agreed salary per month while majority are yet to complete biometric registration for salary collection.

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Read full statement below:

The troubled nurses appealed to the president to temper justice with mercy since they are his “children.”

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The arrested nurses are expected to appear before court after storming parliament in an attempt to put pressure on the government to employ them.

In an interview with Joy News, one of them revealed that after securing bail, they still report to the police station as they await a court proceeding.

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In addition, they asked the government to fulfill its campaign promises and listen to their plea in getting abandoned and new facilities ready to accommodate the unemployed nurses.

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Source: Adomonline.com|Abigail Bonney

Management of Nalerigu College of Nursing and Midwifery has begun full investigations into its students who were seen in a viral video begging former President John Mahama for voting against him in the 2016 election.

The management of the school has since distanced itself from the matter stating that they are non-students who posed as nursing trainees.

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The incident occurred at a durbar organised by the former President as part of his tour of the North East and other newly created Regions, on August 30, 2019.

Some of the students knelt down wailing whilst others carried placards and papers with inscriptions like, ‘JM we are sorry’ and ‘Nurses need you back.’

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But, commenting on the matter, the director of human resource at the Ministry of Health, Dr Akwasi Asabir said his outfit is very worried about the development.

According to him, the students have benefited fully from the training allowance since its restoration by government.

He said the Ministry, therefore, cannot fathom why the nurses will make a sudden u-turn.

To him, management of the school is surprised at the turn of events, especially when school is on vacation.

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Mr Asabir noted the Ministry will take over and do its background checks when management of the school is done with investigations to determine if indeed the students are those of Nalerigu College.

“We are very worried as a Ministry concerning the conduct of the students. What we can say now is the management of the school has distanced itself from the activity.

“They have begun investigations into the matter and if it’s proven that indeed the nurses are not students of the school and are taking the allowance, then the school will deal with them,” he told Adomonline.com.

Source: Adomonline.com|Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy