GRNMA Strike: Health Minister Calls on Retired Nurses to Volunteer to Support Healthcare

The government is urgently appealing to retired nurses and midwives to temporarily return to duty as the strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) continues to disrupt healthcare services across the nation.

This call comes amid escalating tensions, as the strike began after the government proposed postponing the implementation of new working conditions for nurses and midwives until 2026—a proposal the GRNMA has firmly rejected.

At a press briefing on June 10, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh acknowledged the mounting pressure on the health system and outlined emergency actions to manage the crisis.

“In light of the urgent need and the hardship faced by patients, we are appealing to retired nurses and midwives to volunteer their services temporarily while negotiations continue,” Minister Akandoh said.

To ease the burden, the Ministry of Health plans to release a list of alternative healthcare facilities that can provide nursing services, supplementing the hospitals and clinics currently impacted by staff shortages.

Additionally, the Minister revealed that the Ministry of Finance and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission have been tasked with creating a swift plan to implement the revised conditions of service for nurses.

“Government is committed to ongoing dialogue with the nurses to find a solution that safeguards public health,” he emphasized.

Efforts to resolve the strike escalated with a closed-door emergency meeting on June 9 involving the Ministry of Health, GRNMA leaders, and other stakeholders, but no agreement was reached, leaving many patients without care.

The ongoing strike, affecting both public and some private healthcare facilities, has led to long waiting lines and limited access to essential medical services nationwide.