Mr Moses Robertson Anyigba, the Volta/ Oti Regional Chairman of Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), has called on the government to invest in the training of more nurses and midwives, to address shortage of personnel.
He said “providing positive environment and adequate motivation will ensure effective healthcare system,to address the needs of the public.”
Mr Moses Anyigba made the call yesterday at a durbar to climax this year’s Nurses and Midwives Week celebration, held at Aflao, on the theme: “Nurses and Midwives, a voice to lead-Invest in nursing and respect nurses’ right to secure global health.”
He noted that as far back as 2016, the United Nations highlighted the importance of adequate investment in nursing and midwifery workforce, in order to promote public health and economic growth.
Mr Anyigba lamented that though there were attempts to improve the health sector, much still needed to be done.
He said “our nurses and midwives face many challenges, including working under extreme difficult conditions with security concerns as many regions in our country are experiencing protracted crises.
We must therefore think innovatively and propose concrete action to address these challenges.”
Dr Alphones Makafui Dzakpasu, Medical Superintendent of Ketu South Municipal Hospital, underscored the need for all personnel to work together to improve the health sector.
He asked nurses and midwives to discharge their duties professionally.
Mr Samuel Numana, Ketu South District Chairman of GRNMA, said the COVID -19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of ensuring a sufficient number of the health workforce, especially nurses and midwives, in building resilient healthcare systems.
He regretted that some nurses and midwives died from preventable diseases because they could not afford the cost of care.
“We, therefore, wish to add our voices to the call by the Association to ask our employers of Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health and the government for health insurance packages for health workers in the country,” MrNumana appealed.
He praised GRNMA for supporting a member with GH¢ 60,000 to undergo surgery in India.
FROM KAFUI GATI, AFLAO
