By: Maame Efua Kwaduah
President of the Graduate Unemployed Nurses and Midwives Association (GUNMA), Haruna Ibrahim has expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Health for finally facilitating their employment. He explained that the group had planned to picket the Ministry of Health in June 2024, due to delays in their employment. He revealed that after announcing their intention to picket, they were contacted by the Ministry, who arranged a meeting with the Minister, Dr. Bernad Okoe-Boye.
Speaking to Happy Kasiebo he stated that on July 4, 2024, they met with the Minister of Health, Dr. Bernad Okoe-Boye who told them he had seen their petitions and assured them that action would be taken. The Ministry of Finance has subsequently approved funding to hire 15,200 nurses and midwives nationwide.
The Health Ministry announced this decision in a press statement on Friday July 26, 2024 with recruitment to begin on Monday August 5 and end on Friday August 23, 2024. Ibrahim confirmed this update and mentioned that there are ongoing discussions to ensure all unemployed nurses and midwives are employed. He added that the Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye informed them that the Ministry had previously been unable to employ them due to financial issues but has committed to resolving this before the end of the year.
He added that nurses and midwives have been unemployed for years since graduation and had requested in-service training in their petitions to enable them work effectively and efficiently. However, he stressed that they are leaving this matter to the Ministry, which has promised to address their needs.
