By Daniel Bampoe
Ghana’s healthcare sector is bracing for a full-blown shutdown as the nationwide strike declared by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) enters a critical stage.
Amid this crisis, the Minister for Health, Mintah Kwabena Akandoh, has publicly lamented what he describes as an abandonment of duty by the union’s leadership, who reportedly left the country shortly after declaring the industrial action.
Speaking on Ekosiisen on Asempa FM over the weekend, a visibly distressed Akandoh claimed that the Ministry had been engaging the GRNMA in negotiations for months and was blindsided by the abrupt strike.
“I have engaged them more than six times since assuming office. This strike came as a surprise. I am very disturbed. Their executives have even traveled out of the country after declaring the strike,” he disclosed.
The Health Minister’s comments have sparked national attention, with many questioning the timing of the union leaders’ trip abroad at a time when the country is witnessing a near-collapse of essential nursing and midwifery services.
According to the Ministry, multiple calls to the GRNMA leadership have gone unanswered, leaving efforts at resolution stalled.
Despite these concerns, the GRNMA insists the strike is a legitimate response to government inaction.
The union accuses the state of failing to implement a Collective Agreement signed on May 20, 2024, which outlines improved conditions of service for public sector nurses and midwives.
The deal, signed by both parties—including representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission—was to take effect on July 1, 2024.
The agreement included several new benefits: a 13th month salary, enhanced fuel and uniform allowances, research support for nurse educators, rural incentive packages, and employer-paid annual license renewals and CPD (Continuous Professional Development) support.
But more than a year after the signing, implementation remains elusive.
In a detailed communiqué dated June 5, 2025, the GRNMA warned that mitigation measures being used by government facilities—such as deploying student nurses, interns, and unqualified personnel to fill gaps—posed ethical and safety concerns.
“It is highly unethical for our employer to use rotation nurses or students to replace licensed professionals during a lawful strike,” the document stated.
The Association also accused some CHAG (Christian Health Association of Ghana) facilities of threatening striking workers with job losses and inserting anti-strike clauses into new employment letters, calling such actions unlawful and contrary to the Labour Act and Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The union’s position remains firm: all nurses and midwives are to withdraw from OPD and emergency services by June 8, and from June 9 onward, a complete cessation of all nursing and midwifery services will be in force nationwide.
“No nurse or midwife should report to work until further directive is given,” the communiqué emphasized.
Assistant PRO of GRNMA, Philemon Agyapong, reaffirmed the union’s stance, stating, “We will never renegotiate our Conditions of Service. It’s already signed and sealed. Government should just implement it or the strike continues. The honeymoon we gave this government is over.”
Despite the ongoing impasse, Health Minister Akandoh said the Ministry of Finance is “fully committed to finding a solution” but added that the government cannot negotiate while a strike is ongoing.
“This matter goes beyond the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Finance must play a key role, which is why we are in continuous engagement with them. But we cannot be on strike and negotiate at the same time,” he stressed.
Broader Implications
With public hospitals already overwhelmed and private facilities under strain, the total withdrawal of services scheduled for June 9 threatens to cripple the national health system.
Patients in emergency situations and those requiring ongoing care may face life-threatening delays, while rural and underserved communities are expected to be hit the hardest.
Observers say the GRNMA’s unprecedented move—combined with the leadership’s absence from the country—has created a leadership vacuum and further complicated efforts at dialogue.
As Ghana faces the looming health crisis, pressure is mounting on both the government and the GRNMA to find a resolution.
For now, however, the nurses and midwives remain resolute, and their leaders remain unreachable—leaving the nation’s health sector in limbo.
