What began on June 2 as a symbolic protest, with red bands tied in quiet defiance, has quickly escalated into a full-scale withdrawal of services by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA). The consequences are now painfully visible at the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, where burn victims are left to suffer without critical nursing care.
A video report by GHOne TV journalist Obed King Gaglo, titled “No Nurses, Only Pain – The Crisis at Korle Bu’s Burns Centre,” captures disturbing scenes: overwhelmed doctors performing tasks beyond their scope, distressed family members dressing wounds, and patients, many in critical condition, left with minimal support. (Watch the full report below:)
The Ministry of Finance has argued that meeting the nurses’ demands would cost government GH¢2 billion, a figure not accounted for in the 2025 Budget. However, the Minority in Parliament is backing the striking nurses, urging government to address the matter urgently in the upcoming Mid-Year Budget Review.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has acknowledged the essential role of nurses in healthcare delivery and stressed the need for a swift resolution to the impasse.
On the other hand, the President of the Renal Patients Association of Ghana, Baffour Kojo Ahenkorah, has appealed to the GRNMA to return to work, citing the plight of vulnerable patients who rely heavily on their care.
In a legal twist, the National Labour Commission (NLC) secured an interlocutory injunction on June 5, ordering the GRNMA to end the strike, which the Commission deemed illegal due to procedural lapses. However, the association maintained it has not been officially served and has refused to comply. On Tuesday, June 10, the Labour Division of the Accra High Court granted an application for substituted service, allowing the injunction to be served through alternative means, including WhatsApp.
As health facilities across the country grow increasingly strained, the situation at the Korle Bu Burns Centre stands as a sobering reminder: behind the policy debates and legal battles are real lives, patients clinging to hope amid pain and uncertainty.
