There is hunger and anger among rotation nurses in the country as government has failed to pay their one-year arrears.
The about 5,239 interns nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals have worked for almost a year without payment of their emoluments.
The situation coupled with current economic crises in the country with spiraling cost of living has made life unbearable for the nurses.
In the Eastern region, for instance, many of the rotation nurses have been ejected by their landlords for nonpayment of rent.
Others are struggling to afford transportation fares to work.
The situation has pushed some of the female nurses and midwives to engage in immoral acts just to survive.
The Finance Ministry on September 19, 2022 gave the go-ahead for the payment of the allowances to nurses on one-year mandatory rotation at various health facilities nationwide to be paid.
The memo signed by Abena Osei Asare, Deputy Finance Minister said, each of them will receive ¢871 per month with effect from October 1, 2021, to September 2022.
“The emoluments of the interns should be charged against the compensation of employees vote of the Ministry of Health in the 2022 annual estimates”, the statement said.
The statement whetted the appetite of the interns hoping they will receive their allowances in September ending or October.
However, the amount has not hit their accounts despite fulfilling all necessary documentation obligations through the Human Resource managers at their various health facilities.
At Koforidua, one of the rotation Nurses has relocated to stay with a friend due to constant harassment by the landlord.
The nurse told Starr News ” it is very difficult for us. We are suffering.I am unable to pay my rent.Unable to afford transportation cost.Even food to eat.I always call families and friends to beg for money to eat. Many of my colleagues walk long distances to work.it seems it is a curse to be a nurse in Ghana. I can now understand why many Nurses leaving to work abroad . So the government should pay us we are suffering”.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com/Kojo Ansah
