Nurses & Midwives Begin Roadmap To Punish Poor Patients

…But Parliament, N&MC Silent On GH₵3,000 Verification Fee

Members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) are set to embark on series of actions, including a nationwide strike to protest against the astronomical increase in their annual license Verification Fee.

The threat, if followed through, will see scores of innocent patients at various hospitals and clinics across the country, bear the brunt.

The action by the GRNMA, which some have described as extreme, is aimed at forcing authorities, including Parliament and Nursing and Midwifery Council (N&MC) to review the new fee which has been pegged at GH₵3, 000, from the initial amount of GH₵550.

The Association in a statement sighted by The Anchor on Thursday, March 21,and signed by its President, Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo said, the decision to withdraw their service and embark on the strike action, is their “right to do so”.

Before the eventual strike action, the Association last Friday, March 22 directed all its members to start wearing red bands across all health facilities, where nurses and midwives work.

This will be followed by a major presser on Wednesday, March 27, after which on Thursday March 28, to April 2, 2024, all nurses and midwives, will commence withdrawal of services at Out-Patient Department [OPD].

The statement copied to the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, continued that on April 3, there will be withdrawal of In-Patient, as well as other services.

“These actions have become necessary because, although the GRNMA officially communicated its discontentment about the 445.5% increment in the Verification Fee and request for a review of the amount to an acceptable level more than a week ago, the institutions involved which are the Parliament of Ghana, the Ministry of Health, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council are yet to even acknowledge receipt of our letters and to make any effort towards having the GHȼ3,000.00 reviewed”, the statement noted.

The Association charged all nurses and midwives, to adhere to the communique and not succumb to any form of intimidation or threats.

“All nurses and midwives are expected to fully participate in the above stated actions because it is their right to do so and therefore under no circumstance should they be threatened or coerced”.

According to GRNMA, a 25% increment in the license verification fee could be fair and affordable by its members, instead of 445.5% astronomical increment.

“We wish to reiterate that, considering the current economic challenges and the fact that our salaries are not the best, nurses and midwives of Ghana can only contain a maximum of 25% increment which in our view can be borne by all grades of nurses and midwives,” the statement concluded.

Background

Recall that on March 11, the GRNMA, angrily objected to the increment and instructed it members not to pay the new fee, hoping to hear a positive response from the Health Ministry and Nursing and Midwifery Council (N&MC).

“All nurses and midwives are advised not to pay the new verification fee of GH₵3,000 and are further advised to hold themselves in readiness for any action that the leadership will deem fit in the event that this matter is not resolved amicably.

“Before 8th March 2024, the amount a nurse or midwife had to pay for this service was GH¢550. It is therefore highly unacceptable to have this fee increased to GH¢3000, which is a 445% increment from the previous amount,” the statement reads in parts”,

But more than a week after that release, the Association says the powers that be, have paid deaf ear to their call.

According to the Association in its latest release said “These actions have become necessary because, although the GRNMA officially communicated its discontentment about the 445.5% increment in the Verification Fee and requested for review of the amount to an acceptable level more than a week ago, the institutions involved which are the Parliament of Ghana, the Health Ministry of Health and the Nursing and Midwifery Council are yet to even acknowledge receipt of our letters and to make any effort towards having the GH₵3, 000 reviewed.

GRNMA said “All nurses and midwives are expected to fully participate in the above stated actions because it is their right to do so and therefore under no circumstance should they be threatened or coerced.

It reiterated that its position that members of the GRNMA will be willing to pay an upward review of 25 percent if there should be any increment at all.

GRNMA in it 11 March statement said if the unexpected and huge increment was a move to discourage these nurses and midwives from traveling to other countries to seek greener pastures then it is “unfortunate”.

The Association underscored the importance of the government introducing policies and programmes that ensure that nurses and midwives are given better conditions of service compared to their counterparts in other jurisdictions instead of making their lives rather unbearable.

It argued that it is the right of every member of their Association, to seek better conditions of service and employment opportunities elsewhere if they are dissatisfied with the situation back home.

“Migration is the right of every worker and as a nation, we must avert our minds to the reasons why these professionals are emigrating to the high-income earning countries rather than institute policies that make the life of the worker more unbearable.”

Source: Anchorghana.com