Unpaid nurses and midwives who have been working for the past 10 months will begin receiving their salaries from November 1, following financial clearance granted by the Ministry of Finance.
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who announced this at a news conference in Accra yesterday, said the government had already settled payments for over 7,000 nurses and midwives, while the remaining 6,500 had now been cleared to receive their outstanding arrears.
“In collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health initiated a comprehensive validation and reconciliation exercise to ensure that all affected individuals are captured and paid without delay.
“I am happy to announce that clearance has been obtained for payment of all the remaining 6,500 and that processes for these payments start immediately without delay,” he told journalists.
It would be recalled that dozens of nurses and midwives recently demonstrated to demand payment of their 10 months’ salary arrears after assuming duty at various health facilities across the country.
The over 13,500 affected nurses and midwives had their financial clearance expire in December 2024, shortly before their postings took effect, resulting in several months of delay in salary payment.
Reaffirming government’s commitment to resolving outstanding human resource challenges within the sector, the Minister said 883 medical house officers and 203 doctors who also had salary arrears since last year had been cleared for payment.
He added that financial clearance had been granted for 800 medical doctors, 321 pharmacists, and 17,909 nurses, midwives and allied health interns to facilitate their engagement and payment.
Mr. Akandoh said the Ministry was instituting measures to ensure that financial clearance is secured prior to recruitment and posting of health workers to prevent future payment delays.
“We encourage all affected staff to remain calm, continue to serve diligently, and channel any concerns through the appropriate authorities for prompt redress,” he stated.
Meanwhile, some health sector unions, including the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), have welcomed the announcement, describing it as a positive step that would help restore calm and boost morale among members.
The clearance and subsequent payments are expected to ease tension within the health workforce and improve motivation for quality health service delivery across facilities in the country.
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The post Relief at last: Nurses, midwives to receive 10-month salary arrears – Minister of Health appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
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