Ghana’s frontline nurses are sounding the alarm over significant delays in posting more than 1,000 fully trained nurses and midwives who completed their qualifications between 2021 and 2024.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) warns this backlog is worsening staff shortages and straining an already burdened healthcare system.
Samuel Akologo, GRNMA Vice President, revealed the scale of the issue during an International Youth Day ceremony in Accra. “We have nurses and midwives who are currently not being posted — 2021, 2022, 2023, and even 2024 batches,” Akologo stated.
He emphasized the human cost, noting “As they sit at home, their skills are deteriorating. We cannot pretend to care about the health of this country if we are not ready to invest significantly in healthcare.”
While acknowledging government recruitment of over 90,000 nurses in the past six years and a further 68,000 in recent times, the GRNMA insists a critical gap persists.
The Association urges President John Mahama’s administration to expedite postings immediately. They argue delays waste vital skills and directly threaten patient care quality.
The GRNMA Youth Desk joined the call, pressing for greater government investment in health to create jobs for young professionals. Other speakers at the event linked resolving this issue to broader youth empowerment through job creation and skills development, calling it essential for Ghana’s sustainable future.
The Association remains hopeful for swift action to employ these trained workers and bolster the nation’s health services. How long can Ghana afford to leave its lifesaving graduates on the sidelines?
