The Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has explained that the demands made by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) were not part of the 2025 national budget.
He warned that trying to meet these demands now could disrupt Ghana’s economic progress, especially given the current financial challenges the country is facing.
The Minister said, “These demands were not included in the 2025 budget, and meeting them now could throw the economy off-gear”.
He explained that while the government understands the concerns of nurses and midwives, it must also consider the broader economic situation to avoid financial instability.
The Minister assured that the government remains open to dialogue and is committed to finding a fair solution that balances the needs of healthcare workers with the country’s economic realities.
To lessen the impact of the ongoing strike, the Ministry of Health plans to release a list of health facilities where nursing services are still available.
Additionally, the Minister called on retired nurses and midwives to volunteer temporarily to help support the healthcare sector during this critical period.
The government hopes that through cooperation and open communication, the strike will end soon, allowing normal nursing services to resume.
Meanwhile, the nurses have refused to call off the strike until the government implement its agreed-upon conditions of service this year.
The association says the government’s proposal to implement it in 2026, with the excuse that the conditions were not captured in the 2025 budget, is unacceptable.