Retired nurses can’t be the solution to Health sector crisis – Akosua Manu

2024 NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Adentan, Akosua Manu, has criticized the government’s decision to call on retired nurses to return to service as a stopgap measure amid the ongoing strike by nurses and midwives, describing the move as both “dismissive” and “embarrassing.”

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, June 12, Manu said the approach highlights the government’s failure to address the core concerns of nurses, who are demanding the implementation of revised conditions of service.

“For the minister to say that he will bring in retired nurses to fill the gap is so dismissive of the concerns of the nurses. Even with the retired nurses, they have spoken out about the horrible conditions that they suffered and how they existed without a decent retirement package in some of the interviews that I listened to, so it is so shameful and embarrassing,” she said.

Her comments come in the wake of a formal appeal by the government to retired nurses and midwives to help manage the strain on healthcare delivery caused by the nationwide strike declared by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).

The strike, now at a critical juncture, was sparked by the government’s proposal to delay the implementation of new service conditions until 2026 — a proposal the GRNMA has firmly rejected.

In an effort to find a resolution, the Ministry of Health held an emergency meeting with GRNMA leaders and key stakeholders on Monday, June 9. However, the discussions ended in a stalemate.

As the impasse continues, health services across the country remain heavily disrupted. Long queues and limited access to care have been reported in major public hospitals, while some private facilities are also struggling to keep up with the increased demand.