Healing rift between nurses and better conditions of service
Nurses play a vital role in healthcare, and as such their importance cannot be overstated.
The delay on the part of a nurse to attend to a patient who is in critical need of urgent health care can make or unmake that patient, as they are often the first port of call for patients, allowing them to identify potential health issues early and intervene promptly.
They also provide emotional support and empathy to patients and their families, helping to reduce stress and anxiety.
So on June 2, 2025, when the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), which has more than 128,000 members, declared a nationwide strike over the government’s delay in implementing its conditions of service, it became a source of concern for many Ghanaians.
The roadmap towards the industrial action began with the wearing of armbands by members of the association, followed by the withdrawal of outpatient and emergency services culminating in the total withdrawal of all services on June 9, 2025, which crippled healthcare nationwide.
The strike declared by public sector nurses took a toll on health care in the country, with some major hospitals struggling to provide basic services to patients in the deserted wards.
According to the GRNMA the Ministry of Health and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) had failed to honour promises made to them, such as allowances, accommodation issues and workload, and that the government had not addressed key welfare concerns raised by the nurses and midwives.
It took the intervention of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health to get the President of the GRNMA, Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, to announce the suspension of the strike following the engagement with the Committee and other interested parties, which, according to the GRNMA, was fruitful.
In the Daily Graphic’s publication on June 14, 2025, the GRNMA President was quoted thus: “As nurses and midwives, we do not take delight in seeing our patients suffer. However, we cannot take good care of others when the system does not take good care of us.”
The suspension of the strike is a welcome relief and the Daily Graphic sides with the GRNMA President as we believe that as a country, we don’t expect our nurses to continue sacrificing to their detriment when they can see greener pastures ahead of them.
We believe that as a country, if we want to keep our nurses, we have to take better care of them than it is being done now.
We train good and quality nurses, giving them allowances when they go to training colleges, only for them to leave the country because their conditions of service are not good.
We believe that by supporting nurses and recognising their importance, we can improve healthcare outcomes, promote health equity and enhance the overall quality of care.
Just as we are calling on the government to take better care of our nurses, we also want to call on the nurses to also put a human face to their actions as the consequences thereof cannot be reversed.
Although the nurses and midwives are justified in asking for better pay conditions, their service is also an essential one which cannot be suspended even for a day, as the repercussions are dire.
The nurses’ strike highlights the need for sustainable solutions to labour disputes in the country’s healthcare sector.
The government must consider the long-term implications of neglecting healthcare workers’ demands, while the GRNMA should balance their demands with the need for uninterrupted healthcare services.
By engaging in constructive dialogue and exploring innovative solutions, both parties could find a mutually beneficial agreement that prioritises patient care and worker rights.
We extend our deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones in the process.
It is our hope that such an unfortunate situation will never happen again in the annals of the country’s history.
