Ghana Registered Nurses And Midwives Association Suspends Strike

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) suspended a nationwide strike on Friday that had disrupted healthcare services for nearly two weeks, following successful negotiations with the government facilitated by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health. The decision eases pressure on Ghana’s strained public health facilities.

GRNMA President Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo announced that thousands of nurses and midwives would resume regular duties on Saturday, June 14, after the strike, which began on June 2, halted critical services like emergency and outpatient care. In a statement, the association pledged to closely monitor the government’s implementation of their collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which covers salaries, benefits, and working conditions.

The industrial action arose from the GRNMA’s claim that the government had failed to honor key provisions of the CBA, vital for improving the welfare of Ghana’s nurses and midwives. The partial strike underscored the healthcare system's fragility, leaving patients struggling to access essential care.

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Highlighting their stance, the GRNMA emphasized that better working conditions are essential to quality healthcare delivery. "We are trained to provide essential health services to Ghanaians, and matters affecting us must be treated with urgency and good faith," the statement read. It also captured the nurses’ dilemma: "We do not delight in seeing patients suffer, but we cannot care for others when the system neglects us."

The GRNMA, a non-partisan trade union with a 65-year history, holds the Collective Bargaining Certificate (CBC), empowering it to negotiate for all registered nurses and midwives in Ghana. Since its founding in 1960, it has worked with successive governments to strengthen the health system while advocating for its members, never aligning with any political party, the association said.

The resolution, mediated by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, drew praise from the GRNMA, which also thanked its members for their solidarity during the strike. The agreement marks a return to normalcy for Ghana’s healthcare services, though the association warned it would remain vigilant to ensure the CBA’s full execution.