The President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, has urged the government to provide comprehensive medical and motor insurance packages for nurses and midwives. This appeal was made during a courtesy call on the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council by the national and regional leadership of the Association. Mrs Ofori-Ampofo emphasized that the welfare of nurses and midwives must go beyond their salaries and conditions of service.
Mrs Ofori-Ampofo cited the risks faced by nurses and midwives both at work and in their daily lives, particularly the number of motorbike accidents involving nurses and midwives. Many health professionals depend on motorcycles for their daily transportation, and insurance arrangements would help protect members from the financial burden associated with such accidents. The GRNMA President also called for comprehensive medical insurance covering nurses, midwives, and their families.
Mrs Ofori-Ampofo argued that healthcare professionals should not face difficulties accessing the very services they provide to others. While some corporate organisations offer medical insurance benefits to employees and their dependants, nurses and midwives often lack similar arrangements and sometimes struggle to obtain full medical care in their own workplaces. She commended the Upper West Regional Hospital for providing nurses with 100 per cent medical care.
On the Association’s industrial relations with government, Mrs Ofori-Ampofo said GRNMA does not take pleasure in embarking on strikes, explaining that industrial action usually follows the failure of dialogue to resolve concerns. She also reiterated that the Association is apolitical, while expressing concern that nursing continues to receive inadequate recognition despite its central role in healthcare delivery.
Mrs Ofori-Ampofo further called for increased investment in healthcare infrastructure and personnel in the Upper East Region to keep pace with its development needs and growing population. She argued that investing in the welfare of nurses and midwives would benefit the wider population, as patients ultimately depend on a motivated and adequately supported health workforce.
Responding to the concerns, the Chief Director of the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, Bless Kwame Darkey, assured the Association that efforts were being made to improve the working and living conditions of health workers in the region. He acknowledged the human resource challenges affecting healthcare delivery in northern Ghana but urged nurses, particularly newly posted personnel, not to be discouraged by negative perceptions about the area.
Mr Darkey revealed that assemblies had been directed to allocate 20 per cent of funds under the additional assembly programmes towards health infrastructure, including Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds and residential accommodation for health workers. The Regional Coordinating Council was monitoring the assemblies to ensure the provision of the facilities, which will improve working conditions and encourage more health professionals to accept postings to the region.
Key points
- GRNMA President Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo calls for comprehensive medical and motor insurance packages for nurses and midwives.
- The Association urges increased investment in healthcare infrastructure and personnel in the Upper East Region.
- The Upper East Regional Coordinating Council assures efforts to improve the working and living conditions of health workers.
