As the health sector continues to reel under the pressure of a nationwide strike by over 128,000 nurses and midwives, tensions escalated this week after the government proposed deploying retired professionals to mitigate the impact.
The leadership of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has, however, firmly rejected the idea, describing it as a temporary fix that fails to address the root of the crisis.
In a forthright interview on JoyNews, GRNMA General Secretary David Tenkorang criticized the move to engage retired nurses and midwives as a “cosmetic measure” that does not resolve the underlying issues.
“Our demands are inelastic and can be accommodated if the employer is willing to negotiate,” he stressed, reiterating the union’s readiness for sincere engagement.
The government’s decision comes on the back of mounting pressure from the public as healthcare delivery in many parts of the country grinds to a halt.
The strike, declared on May 28, 2025, stems from the government’s delay in implementing the new conditions of service that were agreed upon with the association in May 2024, under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
The Ministry of Health, in a press release on Tuesday, June 10, acknowledged the disruption but assured the public of efforts to fill gaps through the voluntary re-engagement of retired healthcare workers.
The Ministry also urged citizens to continue accessing care at facilities where services remain available and published a list of operational health centers nationwide.
However, GRNMA argues that this approach trivializes their legitimate demands.
“They are our mothers, and yes, they can help. But that won’t solve the real problem we’re striking over,” Tenkorang emphasized.
The union maintains that only the full implementation of their negotiated benefits will end the industrial action.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has maintained that the proposed conditions of service cannot be implemented immediately, as they were not factored into the 2025 national budget.
At a press conference, he argued that enforcing the package as it stands would destabilize the economy.
“The conditions of service under reference are not captured in the 2025 budget and will completely throw the economy off-gear if implemented immediately,” he said.
But GRNMA President Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo countered the claim, accusing the government of undervaluing healthcare workers.
Speaking on TV3, she said, “If they are telling us today that there’s no room in the budget to cater for what we deserve, then they are telling us they do not value our work.”
She urged the government to prioritize healthcare funding, asserting that it is unacceptable for any administration to claim it will not spend on health between June and December.
The Association also clarified that it is not insisting on the lump sum implementation of every item in their collective agreement.
Rather, it is demanding immediate action on certain critical components.
“We can spread the arrears. Look at the uniform allowance—it’s a one-off. Book and Research Allowance is for less than a thousand members. Pay those now, and we can sit to discuss the rest,” Ofori-Ampofo explained.
She further noted that six months into the new administration is ample time to have honored the agreement.
“We have been patient. But patience must not be mistaken for weakness. Our members deserve better, and we are not calling off the strike until what was agreed upon is fulfilled.”
The standoff between the GRNMA and the government presents a looming crisis in the public health sector.
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