Accra: The ongoing strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has severely affected antenatal care services, forcing some hospitals to turn away pregnant women and babies. Expectant mothers arriving for scheduled check-ups and procedures were left stranded due to the absence of nursing staff.
According to Ghana News Agency, a visit to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Maternity Out-Patient Department and Lekma Hospital revealed that babies missed vaccinations, while pregnant women were referred to private hospitals for treatment. At the Korle-Bu Department of Child Health and Child Emergency Ward, doctors had to step in to perform nursing duties, offering consultations and, where necessary, referring cases to the 37 Military Hospital or the Police Hospital.
One expectant mother expressed her disappointment, stating that she was unaware of the strike and was unable to submit her laboratory test results due to the lack of nursing staff. Similarly, Madam Mercy Dankwah, who brought her twin babies for the Bacillus Calmette-Gu©rin (BCG) vaccine, was unable to access immunization services.
Madam Jemila Ayerh, another mother, voiced her concerns as she struggled to find a private hospital for her newborn’s six-week vaccinations. The GRNMA initiated a phased withdrawal of services in May, beginning early June 2025, to protest the government’s delay in implementing their collective agreement, which was signed in May 2024 but remains unimplemented.
The strike initially involved the withdrawal of Out-Patient Department (OPD) services nationwide from June 4 to 8, followed by a complete withdrawal of all services from June 9, 2025. Despite governmental efforts to resolve the situation, the Association has maintained its position.
In response to the crisis, Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Health, has appealed to retired nurses and midwives to volunteer their services temporarily while discussions continue to resolve the strike.