Nurses' strike: Govt committed to dialogue — Minister

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has reiterated the government’s commitment to resolving the ongoing strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) through dialogue and urged the association to call off its strike in the interest of patients.  

Addressing the media at the Jubilee House yesterday, Mr Akandoh expressed regret over the impasse, which has disrupted healthcare services across the country, but gave an assurance that the government was working to implement new Conditions of Service for nurses and midwives in a sustainable manner.  

The GRNMA commenced its strike on June 2, 2025, following disagreements over the implementation of the newly signed Conditions of Service, originally due to take effect in July 2024.

Despite interventions by the Ministry of Health and the National Labour Commission (NLC), the association has refused to suspend the strike, which has been declared illegal by the NLC.  

Mr Akandoh disclosed that he had engaged the leadership of all nurses and midwives’ associations on May 30, 2025, to discuss the roadmap for implementing the new Conditions of Service.  

"Fortunately, the other associations supported my intervention, with the exception of the GRNMA, which declined and proceeded to declare the strike on June 2, despite the NLC’s caution," he stated.  

He further revealed that the NLC had summoned stakeholders to an emergency meeting on June 5, but the GRNMA failed to attend.  

"Consequently, the NLC was compelled to take legal steps to declare the strike illegal and called on the GRNMA to immediately call it off in line with the law," he said.  

Economic constraints

The Health Minister emphasised that the government was mindful of the economic implications of implementing unbudgeted expenditures.  

The OPD of Tema General Hospital was empty with no activities during the visit of the Daily Graphic

"We wish to draw attention to the fact that the Conditions of Service under reference are not captured in the 2025 budget and will completely throw the economy off-gear if implemented immediately in the manner it currently exists," he said.  

"We are mindful of the serious economic consequences of unbudgeted expenditure and want to avoid the economic slippages that led to hardships in the recent past."

Interim measures

To mitigate the impact on patients, the Ministry of Health has outlined temporary measures, including publishing a list of alternative health facilities and appealing to retired nurses to volunteer their services.  

A patient at TTH waiting for consultation 

"Given the urgency of the situation and the suffering of patients, the government appeals to public-spirited retired nurses and midwives to volunteer their services for a brief period, pending the resolution of this impasse," Mr Akandoh said.  

He also commended nurses who had chosen to remain at post despite the strike.  

"We express our deep appreciation to practising nurses who have opted to remain at post to help suffering patients and urge others to show similar fellow feeling," he said.  

The minister reaffirmed the government’s readiness to continue negotiations but stressed the need for the GRNMA to return to the negotiating table.

"Government commits to continue engaging with the nurses to achieve a mutually acceptable outcome in the interest of the public," he said.  

"We reiterate our commitment to dialogue with the GRNMA with the view to resolving this impasse for full nursing services to be restored."

The ministry urged the public to remain patient as efforts were made to resolve the crisis, while assuring the country that contingency plans were in place to ensure continued access to healthcare services.

Budgetary strain

The Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Ampim, also emphasised that fulfilling the GRNMA’s demands in full would add over GH¢2 billion to the wage bill, which could jeopardise the country’s fiscal stability.  

“We are working to reset the economy and maintain a 1.5 per cent primary balance surplus to ensure debt sustainability,” he said.

He, therefore, appealed to the nurses to “return to negotiations so we can agree on a feasible roadmap.”