Meeting with striking nurses fruitful — Parliament Health Committee
The Chairman of the Health Committee of Parliament, Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, has described the negotiations they had with nurses affiliated to the Ghana Registered Nurses' and Midwives' Association (GRNMA) and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the ongoing nationwide strike by members of the association as fruitful.
The committee expressed appreciation over the fact that all the stakeholders, including officials from the ministries of Health and Finance, honoured their invitation.
“We have had a very fruitful negotiations; we tried to understand each other and we have tried as much as possible to synchronise our activities.
“What we can say at this moment is that the discussions were fruitful and the nurses, by their regulation, have to go back to their counsel and they will come back,” Dr Nawaane said.
He further described the posture of the nurses as “fair”, adding that “If the Abusuapanyin (head of family) should tell you to go and lead a discussion, you have to bring back the information to them first before any other issue can come out”.
The Ranking Member of the Health Committee, Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, also said that the nurses were going to have a session with their counsel and “we are hopeful for good news”.
The closed-door meeting, which started at 10: a.m. yesterday, and ended at 2:00p.m., was to allow members of the committee to learn at first-hand the concerns of the striking nurses and what interventions could be made.
Also in attendance at the meeting were the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, officials from the ministries of Health and Finance, as well as the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).
Strike
The ongoing strike by public sector nurses is taking a toll on healthcare in the country, with some major hospitals struggling to provide basic services to patients in the deserted wards.
The industrial action, initiated by the GRNMA, stems from grievances over delayed conditions of service negotiations and the government’s failure to address key welfare concerns raised by the nurses and midwives.
The GRNMA has accused the Ministry of Health and the FWSC of failing to honour promises made to them, such as allowances, accommodation issues and workload.
The Ministry of Health has since appealed to the nurses to return to work while negotiations continue, cautioning that the ongoing industrial action threatens to collapse the already overburdened public healthcare system.
