The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNA) is bent on carrying its threat to ask nurses at Manhyia District Hospital in the Ashanti Region to lay down theirs tools if the Regional Director of the National Service Scheme is not sacked.
Information gathered by Newstitbits.com from the region suggests that nurses there have embarked on an indefinite strike.
The Association gave a 72-hour ultimatum on Tuesday, November 29 after a nurse at the health facility was verbally abused in an audio, that has gone viral, by the NSS Regional Director following a misunderstanding that ensued between the nurse and a housemaster who happens to be the daughter of the director.
The Regional Director of NSS Mr Alex Opoku-Mensah has not denied the content of the audio and has since apologized for his action.
“I do apologise for any mishap and assure all, there shall not be a repetition of such,” he posted on facebook.
But an Accra-based Citi FM is reporting that nurses at the Manhyia District Hospital have not shelved their demand for the dismissal of the director.
Some patients at the Manhyia Government hospital are being discharged as nurses begin their strike demanding, Joy News reports.
Relatives of some patients at the surgical ward have been asked to take them home until the nurses resume work.
The Ashanti Regional Vice Chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Philemon Adu Brempong told the radio station they are insisting on their position.
Meanwhile, Mr. Opoku-Mensah has been suspended by the National Service Scheme pending investigation into the incident.
The decision was taken at an emergency decision on Wednesday, NSS said in a statement.
Committee comprising representatives from the National Service Scheme, the Public Services Commission, and the Ministry of Education, has been set up to investigate the matter and to submit its report to the NSS management within one month.
Mr. Opoku Mensah is thus expected to appear before the Committee on Monday, December 5, 2022.