President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, has stated that the only way to retain nurses and midwives in Ghana to work is to improve their condition of service.
She stated that the condition of service of nurses and midwives in Ghana, compared to other countries, is not the best.
Currently, she said, the GRNMA is negotiating a better condition of service with the government. She expressed hope that the government would yield to their demands.
Asked what the current state of the condition of service of nurses are in Ghana while speaking on Hot Issues with Keminni Amanor on TV3 Sunday, March 31, she said “If you ask me to describe it in a word or two, I will tell you it is not the best. It is not the best because when you compare it to our compatriots who are in high-income countries or other countries where conditions are better, it is far better than what we have here. But we understand that the economy of Ghana is not the same as in these other countries.
“The situation of remuneration and other conditions of service cannot be the same but currently, we are on the negotiation table, we are negotiating our conditions of service, the collective agreement that is in force now expired and we are negotiating it.
Brain drain is having a toll on healthcare delivery in Ghana – GRNMA President
“We have made a number of proposals to the employer to say that this is what we deserve as nurses and midwives. If we are able to get them it will help us retain our nurses, those who are eager to migrate outside. It will also help us in motivating us to also do our work.”
Earlier, Madam Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo admitted that brain drain in the health sector is having a negative impact on healthcare delivery in Ghana.
She has therefore called for an urgent intervention to ensure that this matter is resolved.
She explained that experience nurses who would have been training newly-recruited nurses are the ones leaving the shores of Ghana to seek better working conditions elsewhere.
Madam Ofori-Ampofo indicated that the nurses want an environment that will help them in their career progression, further studies, and also better salaries and remunerations hence, their decision to travel outside the country to pursue these interests.
Speaking to TV3 in an earlier interview she said “Indeed, it is a worrying trend that we are all experiencing, our nurses are leaving the shores of Ghana and they are seeking to work in better work environments and earn better salaries and.
“It is their right and we cannot stop them but the truth of the matter is that as much as they are leaving it is having a toll on health service delivery in Ghana.
“The truth is those that are leaving are those that are well experienced, with many years of experience. Even if we are going to recruit new personnel these are the very people who would have trained them, so their leaving is a big issue.”
She added “It is about time we really sit as stakeholders to discuss this matter thoroughly. From where we sit, we know that we cannot stop them because it is their right to migrate but it is about time we put in some innovation in terms of motivational packages that will really attract or help to retain them in the country.
“There are some nurses who for various reasons will never leave Ghana but the majority are still nurturing the idea of leaving the shores of Ghana, it is all because they want to have better opportunities for career progression, they want to pursue some academic venture, looking for higher salaries or better conditions of service.”
By Laud Nartey
