The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives’ Association (GRNMA) has asked striking nurses at the Manhyia District Hospital to suspend their strike action and resume work tomorrow.
Nurses embarked on indefinite strike on Friday after their 72-hour demand to get the Ashanti Regional Director of the National Service Scheme dismissed for verbally abusing a colleague was not met. Patients were stranded after the facility threatened to discharge them due to the strike.
But the leadership of the nurses and midwives’ association appeared content with the groundswell of support for the victim and the round of condemnation targeted at the NSS boss, Mr. Alex Opoku-Mensah.
“In view of above, the leadership of the GRNMA announces that it has called off its strike in Manhyia District Hospital and the intended road map for a full-scale industrial action to allow the committee set by the National Service Secretariat to carry out its mandate and to ensure that our patients and clients do not suffer unduly,” the Association said in a press release on Friday, December 2, 2022.
The release signed by, Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo and David Tenkorang-Twum, National President and General Secretary respectively of GRNMA, acknowledged the the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service have reached out in writing to condemn the actions of Mr. Alex Poku-Mensah.
The Regional Director is currently on suspension pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.
GRNMA however issued ultimatum to institutions involved in the investigation like the Public Services Commission, Ministry of Education, the National Service Scheme, and the Ministry of Health to ensure that the committee completes its work on or before 16th December, 2022 “so that this matter can be put to rest”.
Below is the full press release
The leadership of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association wishes to inform its members, the general public and the media that its employers, the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service have reached out in writing to condemn the actions of Mr. Alex Poku Mensah and has further called on the leadership of GRNMA and the entire Nursing and Midwifery Fraternity to remain calm and withdraw the intended and roadmap to embark on an industrial strike, and allow for the due administrative processes and investigations to be conducted by the National Service Secretariat for a final determination on the incident.
It is worth noting that other stakeholders including our dear patients and clients and the general public have also formally and informally condemned the actions of Mr. Alex Poku Mensah and have pleaded with the leadership of GRNMA to rescind its decision on embarking on a full scale strike action and resume nursing and midwifery services at the Manhyia District Hospital.
In view of above, the leadership of the GRNMA announces that it has called off its strike in Manhyia District Hospital and the intended road map for a full scale industrial action to allow the committee set by the National Service Secretariat to carry out its mandate and to ensure that our patients and clients do not suffer unduly.
We therefore call on all our dear nurses and midwives especially those in Manhyia District hospital to kindly adhere to this directive and return to work tomorrow, 3rd December, 2022 and continue providing safe and quality nursing and midwifery services to the people of Manhyia and its environs.
We are grateful to our members, the media, our employers, the National Service Secretariat, Public Services Commission and other stakeholders for stepping up to the occasion and doing what is right.
We call on the Public Services Commission, Ministry of Education, the National Service Scheme, the Ministry of Health and all other relevant institutions in this matter, to ensure that the committee completes its work on or before 16th December, 2022 so that this matter can be put to rest.
We reiterate the need for Manhyia District Hospital and the entire body of employers within the health sector space to train staff on Team Work and Team Building to forestall unnecessary display of egos within the work environment which does not contribute in any way to positive patient outcomes.
Public Officers are entreated to serve Ghanaians with love and respect and desist from using their powers to intimidate, threaten or undermine others in the public service and the good people of Ghana.
Unity is Strength!