As the sun rises on the fifth day of a nationwide strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), the rallying cry “Aluta Continua”—the struggle continues—resounds across hospitals, clinics, and community health centers throughout the country.
What began on June 2nd as a symbolic protest, with red bands tied in quiet defiance, has escalated into a full-scale withdrawal of services. The air in many healthcare facilities is thick with tension and uncertainty, as patients sit on empty benches—some turned away, others clinging to hope for care that will not come.
A Silent Ward, a Roaring Message
At the heart of this action lies a single, powerful demand: honor the agreed conditions of service. Nurses and midwives—long regarded as the backbone of Ghana’s health system—say government inaction has pushed them to the brink.
“We have waited, negotiated, and exercised patience,” said GRNMA President Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo. “This strike is not about harming patients. It is about securing the future of quality healthcare in Ghana.”
From Accra to Tamale, Cape Coast to Wa, the impact is glaring. Outpatient services have ground to a halt. Antenatal clinics are closed. Specialist appointments canceled. In rural communities, where nurses often serve as the only accessible health professionals, the silence is deafening.
Health in Limbo
Patients are caught in the crossfire. Akosua, a pregnant mother of two in Kumasi, voiced her fear:
“I came for my antenatal review, but the clinic is closed. They told me to come back next week—but what if something happens before then?”
Hospitals are operating with skeletal staff, as administrative personnel and a handful of doctors struggle to maintain basic operations. Insiders admit the system is buckling under pressure without its frontline caregivers.
The GRNMA has issued a stark warning: if the government fails to respond meaningfully, a total withdrawal of all services—including emergency care—will begin on June 9. This next phase could plunge the nation’s health sector into an unprecedented crisis.
Government Pushback
Despite the mounting pressure, the government is urging calm. The National Labour Commission (NLC) has declared the strike illegal, citing the association’s failure to follow procedural requirements under the Labour Act. The NLC has since secured an interlocutory injunction from the High Court (Industrial and Labour Division), restraining GRNMA members from continuing their strike.
READ: Court Grants Injunction Against GRNMA Over Alleged Illegal Strike
The Vice Chairperson of Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Sebastian Sandaare, has made a passionate appeal for the nurses to suspend their industrial action and return to the negotiating table.
Minister of Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, after touring facilities in the Greater Accra Region, expressed concern over the scale of disruption:
“Strike is not what will resolve the issue. I plead with our nurses and midwives to put patients first and return to work so we can reach an amicable solution.”
A Standoff Continues
However, the GRNMA remains unmoved. General Secretary Dr. David Tenkorang-Twum rejected both the minister’s appeal and the claim of a court injunction, stating that no official communication had been received.
He reiterated that while regrettable, the industrial action is necessary to compel the government to honor its commitments.
Hope Amid Hardship
Despite the deadlock, nurses and midwives insist they are not unwilling to return to work.
“This strike is not indefinite,” said a striking midwife in Sunyani. “It can end tomorrow—if the promises made to us are finally fulfilled.”
For now, Ghana watches as its caregivers stand not behind hospital beds or beside stretchers, but on picket lines—demanding dignity, fairness, and the respect they believe is long overdue.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Benjamin Sackey
