Public Interest Advocate Rodaline Imoru Ayarna has criticized the timing of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) strike, arguing that it is insensitive given the country’s current challenges.
The GRNMA has gone on industrial action in protest over delays in implementing the 2024 Collective Agreement. As a result, many health facilities have been left with abandoned nurse posts.
Madam Ayarna lamented the lack of empathy behind the prolonged strike, especially as intensified rainfall increases the risk of flooding, leading to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
She questioned the motives of the striking nurses, pointing out that many Ghanaians, especially those unable to afford private healthcare would be left stranded, unable to access urgent medical attention.
“You are in Accra, Koforidua, Takoradi, Tamale, Navrongo, Paga, and you decide to go on strike. Think about those who cannot afford private hospitals. What happens if your own child falls sick? This is the rainy season, and cholera, typhoid, rheumatism, and arthritis are on the rise. This is a terrible time for people who claim to have empathy to go on strike. Maybe they believe it will pressure the government, but this isn’t just about the government,” she asserted.
While criticizing the strike’s timing, Ayarna acknowledged the difficult conditions nurses endure, stating that Ghanaian nurses are not treated as well as their counterparts in other countries.
“Nurses in Ghana face several challenges, including transportation and accommodation. Many struggle to get to work due to unreliable transport, and some commute long distances from areas like Amasaman and Kasoa to their workplaces. That is not good enough,” she said.
She also pointed out that nurses had once been granted duty-free privileges to import their own vehicles, though she was uncertain if the policy was still in place.
Regarding remuneration, she noted that the Single Spine Salary Structure had helped improve wages, but other conditions of service remained unsatisfactory.
Madam Ayarna expressed concerns about healthcare provisions for nurses, criticizing policies that require them to pay for their medical treatment.
“Nurses say if they fall ill, they have to pay for treatment, which is unacceptable. There should be a system allowing them to access healthcare without unnecessary financial burden,” she argued.
She also found it insulting that nurses reportedly receive free coffins upon death but must pay for hospital beds when ill.
“We must make them comfortable so they can serve Ghanaians better. In return, we expect them to treat patients with respect and care,” she added.
Madam Ayarna warned that nurses primarily seeking financial gain should work in private hospitals instead of public institutions, which are meant to serve the general population.
“I always believe teaching and mining are callings, but we’ve commercialized them. Some nurses enter the profession out of genuine care for humanity, while others see it as a lucrative job. If you go into nursing for money, you’re in the wrong place. Public hospitals are not for profit, and when nurses go on strike, it’s the ordinary Ghanaian who suffers,” she emphasized.
Madam Ayarna therefore urged nurses to end the strike, stressing that many Ghanaians are relying on them for survival.
