Sawmill Hospital Boss Urges Government To End Nurses’ Strike

• Dr Simone Frimpong Osei has urged the government to engage striking nurses and midwives directly to end the ongoing nationwide strike
• Doctors have been overstretched as they perform nursing duties in addition to their clinical roles at various health facilities
• Oncology services at Effiankwanta Regional Hospital have stalled, leaving cancer patients without chemotherapy

Dr Simone Frimpong Osei, the administrative director of the Sawmill Hospital at Kwesimintsim in the Western Region, has called on the government to intervene and end the ongoing strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives’ Association (GRNMA) over an unfulfilled agreement.

He urged the government to recall the GRNMA leadership for dialogue, which he believes will resolve the situation more effectively than pursuing legal action, which could worsen the impact of the strike.

Dr Osei stated that the withdrawal of services by nurses and midwives has left doctors overwhelmed.

He explained that they are now responsible for managing patients at outpatient departments, performing duties usually handled by nurses.

“The number of nurses and midwives in any health facility is usually the majority. So when they’re absent, the strain is unbearable. I wish the authorities would talk to them directly. It’s not always about offering big money. As an adult, you should know how to speak to others to reach an understanding,” he said.

Speaking to YEN.com.gh, Dr Osei expressed deep concern about the toll on healthcare delivery, noting that both patients and doctors are also bearing the burden.

“Now we have to sit at the OPD, handle receptionist duties, take vitals, and then attend to patients as clinicians. It’s very tedious,” he added.

He warned that if the strike persists, mistakes are likely, which could lead to serious consequences.

As a stopgap, he said, some hospitals have relied on the support of health workers such as nutritionists, who lack formal training in nursing or midwifery.

Dr Osei added that the strike has significantly reduced patient turnout at health facilities.

Cancer care disrupted at Effiankwanta Regional Hospital

Meanwhile, Jackline Addae, an oncology nurse specialist at the Effiankwanta Regional Hospital, disclosed to YEN.com.gh that the hospital’s cancer department has been non-functional since the strike began.

“There have been some cancer patients due for chemotherapy, but they cannot come for treatment because of the strike. Monday and Thursday were our chemo sessions, but they couldn’t turn up,” she told YEN.com.gh.

She described the situation as heartbreaking and urged the government to respond to the concerns of nurses and midwives.

Though she acknowledged the negative impact of the strike on healthcare delivery, she insisted that the GRNMA must remain resolute in demanding that their needs be met.

Reports from the Effiankwanta Hospital also indicate that patients are experiencing long wait times before being attended to by doctors.

Manhyia nurses strike over NSS director’s conduct

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that nurses at the Manhyia Hospital also went on strike, citing abusive behaviour by the Ashanti Regional Director of the National Service Secretariat (NSS), Alex Opoku-Mensah.

The GRNMA ordered its members not to return to work unless the regional NSS director was removed.

The directive followed a confrontation between the NSS director and a nurse at the health facility.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh