Keta: Nurses and Midwives at the Keta Municipal Hospital in the Volta Region have resumed normal working routines after the suspension of the nationwide industrial action by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA). The move is expected to pave the way for better negotiations between the association's leadership and government officials to address the challenging grievances that led to the strike.
According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Mary Deynu, a Matron and Nurses' Manager at the Keta Municipal Hospital, disclosed that all nurses at the hospital were present at work as scheduled for the day's duty. She stated that the suspension of the strike and resumption of work by GRNMA is a relief to patients and hospital administrators who had been struggling to cope with the impact of the strike.
She mentioned that the nationwide strike by nurses and midwives caused disruptions to emergency services, which put lives at risk and strained healthcare services across public health centres in the Municipality. Patients had been forced to seek alternative healthcare options, with some returning home due to the lack of staff. Madam Deynu added that the suspension of the strike is expected to lead to better negotiations between the GRNMA and government officials for improved working conditions, better pay, and more resources for healthcare facilities.
Madam Adzorlolo Ama Sedem, a patient, expressed relief over the suspension of the strike and the resumption of normal services at the Keta Municipal Hospital. She explained that the hospital is the only trusted government hospital in the area providing essential healthcare services, and the resumption of normal activities by nurses and midwives ensures that patients continue to receive the care they need. She appealed to the government for proper engagement with the leadership of GRNMA to resolve their challenges through negotiation.
Other patients who spoke to GNA expressed excitement about the resumption of normal work by nurses and midwives at the Keta Municipal Hospital. They thanked the leadership for quick intervention, which would prevent loss of life at various hospitals and health centres. The suspension of the nationwide strike was expected to lead to better negotiations between the GRNMA and government officials, with hopes that the hospital would continue to provide essential healthcare services to local communities.
A visit by the GNA to the Keta Municipal Hospital observed that various departments, including the Out Patients Department (OPD), X-ray, children's and female wards, maternity ward, among others, were in full operation. Other public health centres affected by the strike within the municipality have also resumed normal routine work in delivering quality healthcare to the public. Residents called for proper dialogue and negotiation between the GRNMA and government officials and urged both parties to work together to find a lasting solution to the concerns that led to the strike.
