Rotational nurses, midwives threaten to picket Health Ministry over delayed clearance for employment

Members of the Rotational Nurses and Midwives Association have called on the Ministry of Health, the government, and all relevant stakeholders to address their concerns urgently.

According to them, they have completed their mandatory National Service, yet have not been posted due to delay in securing clearance for their employment.

“The Rotational Nurses and Midwives Association, representing over 11,000 nurses and midwives who have completed their one-year mandatory national service, that is from July 2023 to June 2024, wishes to bring to the attention of the Ministry of Health, the government and the general public, the severe hardships we have endured due to the delayed issuance of financial clearance and the consequent non-payment of our allowances,” they said in a press release dated July 17.

Please read full release below:

BACKGROUND

The Rotational Nurses and Midwives Association comprises Registered General Nurses, Registered Midwives, Registered Public Health Nurses and Registered Mental Health Nurses who have successfully passed their licensing examinations and are mandated to undertake a one-year National service called Rotation in the nursing field. This rotation, which began in July 2023 and ended in June 2024, is a crucial phase in our professional development and integration into the healthcare system of our nation.

FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

Throughout these twelve months, we have been tirelessly working in various health facilities across the country, providing essential healthcare services. Despite our dedication and hard work, we have faced significant financial challenges due to the non-payment of our allowances. This situation has had detrimental effects on our lives and professional duties:

1. Transportation Costs: Many of us have struggled to afford transportation to and fro our places of assignment. This has not only affected our punctuality but also our ability to deliver timely and effective healthcare services.

2. Accommodation Issues: Numerous Rotation nurses and midwives are facing eviction from their homes due to the inability to pay rent. Our landlords have shown little patience, given the extended delay in our allowance payments, leading to stressful living conditions.

3. Daily Sustenance: The cost of living continues to rise, and without our allowances, meeting basic needs such as food, utilities, and healthcare has been an overwhelming challenge. This financial strain has not only affected our physical health but also our mental well-being.

4. Medical Bills: it’s so sad to say, we have lost some of our colleagues during this period, per information, medical bills and other essentials contributed to the deterioration of their conditions leading to their untimely demise. MAY THEIR SOULS REST IN PEACE. Again, some of our members are battling various disease conditions and are struggling to keep up with medical bills due to the lack of financial support and delayed financial clearance.

ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MINISTRY

Over the past year, we have written several letters to the Ministry of Health, seeking engagement and resolution on the matter of our unpaid allowances. On April 16, 2024, we took to the street to demonstrate and present our petition by walking in the rain to the Ministry of Finance and Health. We were reassured by the Director of Human Resource and the Ministry of Health PRO that our petitions were received and they would swiftly and continue to engage the finance Ministry for our clearance to be released in due time to facilitate our payments. However, these reassurances have amounted to nothing more than crocodile tears, as no action has been taken to date. After the demonstration two official letters have been submitted to follow up on our previous petition and have not received the necessary attention.

CURRENT STATUS AND IMMEDIATE

As of June 2024, we have completed our national service and are currently unemployed, awaiting the issuance of financial clearance which is a prerequisite for the payment of our allowances. The delay in financial clearance has prolonged our financial instability, suffering and left us in a state of uncertainty.

Moreover, the 2024/25 batch of our junior colleagues who commenced their rotation in May 2024 are already two months into their service without receiving any allowances. This early indication of financial neglect raises serious concerns about the ongoing maltreatment and neglect of rotational Nurses and Midwives in the healthcare sector.

DISAPPOINTMENT IN GOVERNMENT AND MINISTRY

We are deeply disappointed in the government and the relevant ministries for their inaction and lack of communication on this critical issue. Despite our efforts to engage with them and the reassurances we received, there has been no tangible progress. Enough is enough.

EMPLOYMENT CONCERNS

We are aware that seniors from the 2020 and 2021 batches have not yet been posted. Recently, we have seen party communicators and politicians on TV, unofficial articles circulating claiming that our batch (2022), along with the 2020 and 2021 batches, will be posted. We demand that the Ministry of Health provides a clear update on this matter.

While our primary fight is for the payment of our allowances, we also advocate for the employment of all qualified nurses and midwives from the 2020, 2021, and 2022 batches. Given the evident need for more healthcare staff in the country, we plead with the Ministry to consider employing us right after our rotation. We have acquired valuable skills and are ready to contribute effectively to the healthcare system.

In May 2024, The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives association (GR NMA) commemorated the international nurse’s day 2024 in Accra Where the Vice President and the current flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party was a guest speaker. Madam Perpetual Ofori Ampofo, the president of GRNMA Highlighted the delayed payment of the rotational allowances and that of the trainees, However The vice President H.E Dr Bawumia didn’t respond to the concerns about the service allowance but made a promise to the trainee nurses for what we see as his political gimmick which has now been fulfilled partially.

We also want to draw his attention that these 11,000 rotation nurses together with the current batch which is 20,478 Who have been owed both trainee’s allowance and their national service allowance are registered voters and can influence the outcome of the upcoming election.

CALL TO ACTION

We, the members of the Rotational Nurses and Midwives Association, call on the Ministry of Health, the government, and all relevant stakeholders to address our concerns urgently.

OUR SPECIFIC DEMANDS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Immediate Issuance of Financial Clearance: We demand the immediate issuance of financial clearance to facilitate the payment of all unpaid allowances and enable us to meet our basic needs.

Payment of Unpaid Allowances: Following the issuance of financial clearance, we expect the swift disbursement of all outstanding allowances to alleviate our financial burdens.

Regular Engagement and Communication: We request regular and transparent communication from the Ministry of Health regarding the status of our financial clearance and allowances to keep us informed and involved in the process.

Employment of All Qualified Nurses: We urge the Ministry to employ all qualified nurses and midwives from the 2020, 2021, and 2022 batches to make effective use of our acquired skills and meet the healthcare needs of the country.

Support Systems for Rotational Service Personnel: We advocate for the establishment of support systems and mechanisms to address the financial and professional challenges faced by rotational nurses and midwives, ensuring that future cohorts do not experience similar hardships.

Immediate Intervention for 2024/25 batch of Rotational Nurses and Midwives: We call on the Ministry to commence processes immediately to ensure that our juniors, who started their rotation two months ago, do not go through the same financial hardships that we and our seniors have endured. They should actively begin the process to lift them from this financial difficulty.

CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS

The Rotational Nurses and Midwives Association remains committed to serving our nation and providing quality healthcare. However, our ability to do so is severely compromised by the current financial challenges. We call on all stakeholders to act swiftly and decisively to resolve these issues, recognizing the critical role that nurses and midwives play in the health and well-being of our communities.

If we do not receive a response and the financial clearance is not released within one week, we will be forced to take drastic action. Our landlords are evicting us, and without financial support, we will have no choice but to come and make the Ministry of Health our new place of residence. We will also engage our junior colleagues who services are two months into their service to withdraw their sees across the country in protest of this unjust treatment.

The Ministry is responsible for advocating on our behalf, and we will hold them accountable until our demands are met. Enough is enough.

We are hopeful that our concerns will be addressed promptly, allowing us to continue our professional journey with the dignity and support we deserve.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter