The The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has disagreed with the Ghana Health Service’s argument that the exodus of health professionals from Ghana is not negatively affecting healthcare delivery in the country. Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has disagreed with the Ghana Health Service’s argument that the exodus of health professionals from Ghana is not negatively affecting healthcare delivery in the country.
This comes after claims by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, that the mass exodus of nurses and other health professionals from Ghana for better income and compensation packages abroad has not yet affected the provision of healthcare services in the country.
In an interview with Citi News, the Assistant National Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Philimon Gyapong, said that while the government plans to replace the nurses who have left the country, it is more prudent to keep experienced hands in the country.
“We were a bit surprised because there is a huge burden on care delivery with the fact that most of our colleagues are leaving. If you are in a critical care area, your experienced colleague who gives you assistance is gone, and even if you replace that person with a new staff, it will take the person a year or two to get acquainted with the skills of the job, and this is really hampering service delivery.”
Mr. Gyapong also added that the government must review the conditions of service for nurses and other health professionals in the country.
“The government must take steps to review the conditions of service of nurses and midwives so that we can avert the negative effects of the vacuum that is being created. The vacuum cannot easily be replaced, and we need to look at a more holistic approach to help reduce the number of people leaving by bringing in motivational factors that will discourage them from traveling.”