Thousands of patients left stranded at public hospitals may soon see relief, as government officials and striking nurses report significant progress in negotiations.
A high-level meeting brokered by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health between the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) and key gov ernment representatives has brought renewed hope of ending the nearly two-week-long nurses’ strike.
The session, which included the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), was described as “constructive,” with both parties agreeing to reconvene in two weeks to firm up details around the implementation of the 2024 Collective Agreement.
The GRNMA has been on strike since June 4, demanding the enforcement of agreed-upon conditions of service signed on May 20, 2024. The strike has crippled public healthcare across the country, forcing emergency cases to be redirected, delaying critical care, and leaving some patients in despair.
Despite the National Labour Commission declaring the strike illegal, the association insists it will not return to work until the agreement is honored.
At the meeting, government officials appealed to the GRNMA to suspend their industrial action and resume negotiations, stressing the importance of dialogue and mutual cooperation in resolving the crisis.
Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health acknowledged the nurses’ frustrations, describing their concerns as legitimate and urgent. The Committee pledged to remain actively involved in brokering a sustainable resolution.
While government representatives cited budgetary constraints as a key barrier to full implementation of the new conditions, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to continue talking and to seek a compromise that meets the needs of healthcare workers and protects the public.
The next meeting, scheduled within two weeks, could prove pivotal in ending the deadlock — and in restoring normalcy to the country’s ailing health system.
