Out-Patient Departments in Accra hospitals empty as nurses strike 

Some major government hospitals and polyclinics in Accra have their Out-Patient Departments (OPD) and Emergency Centres virtually empty due to the ongoing strike by members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).  

A visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Monday to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital), Adabraka Polyclinic, and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, between 1300 to 1500 hours, saw the OPDs turned into ‘ghost towns’.  

The strike action, initiated by the GRNMA, was to demand the implementation of the 2024 Collective Agreement, which included unpaid allowances and delayed postings.  

The nurses are specifically asking for the payment of a 13-month salary, fuel and medical allowance, rural incentive allowance, renewal of practicing license, and uniforms.  

At the Ridge Hospital, there was no sign of a single patient or nurse at the OPD when the GNA visited at 1330 hours. The place was deserted. A handful of doctors and security personnel were seen providing care to patients on admission.  

Some few patients who were not aware of the strike were sighted, hoping the few doctors around would have sympathy and attend to them.  

Joseph Atsu, a patient at the Ridge Hospital, seeking medical attention with his wife, sat on one of the benches with a sad face. Atsu’s bewilderment was due to the fact that he had traveled all the way from Hohoe in the Volta Region to Accra on referral.  

He called on the Government and the GRNMA to resolve the issue to enable patients to receive medical care.  

“I came all the way from Hohoe to Ridge Hospital only to be told that the nurses had gone on strike. I have not been attended to since morning,” Mr Atsu said.  

“I spent GH¢250 to come to Accra and I will spend the same amount to go back home without being attended to. I plead with the government to respond to the demands of the striking nurses.”   

Mr Atsu’s story was corroborated by Madam Juliana Haruna, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ridge Hospital, who said the OPD, which   usually got full of patients, was empty due to the strike.  

She expressed the hope that the parties would reach an agreement to enable the nurses to report to work to assist the doctors, who were overwhelmed with the workload.  

“Today is Monday and in fact on a regular day we receive over 200 patients at the OPD, but when you go now the seats are empty and it is because of the strike. Our doctors are stepping in but the workload has increased so we really need the nurses to return to post.”  

“We are hoping that the two parties will come to an agreement so we can have our nurses back,” Madam Haruna said.  

The situation was not different at the Adabraka Polyclinic when the GNA visited. There was neither a nurse nor a patient in the sitting area.  

Some administrative staff who spoke to the news team, on condition of anonymity, said the nurses were not at post because they were adhering to the directives regarding the strike.  

The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital is also suffering a similar fate. However, some critical departments such as the National Department of Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre were seen providing services to clients due to the sensitive nature of their work.  

These patients are battling various cancer conditions and need the critical care to aid their survival.  

The 37 Military and Police hospitals, which had to bear the brunt of the strike action, have been inundated with patients, especially at the maternity wards, with some having to lie on the floor due to the lack of beds, sources close to the GNA said.  

Source: GNA  

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