The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association is pushing back against government efforts to bring retired nurses back to the front lines.
GRNMA says the government’s call for retired health workers to return to duty during the ongoing strike misses the mark.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh recently appealed to retired nurses and midwives to step in temporarily, but the Association isn’t buying it.
Speaking to the media, GRNMA Vice President Samuel Alagkora Akologo dismissed the proposal as unrealistic and insensitive.
“We feel disrespected. You’re asking retirees—people battling chronic illnesses and living on modest pensions—to return to the very system they left because of poor conditions. That’s not a solution.”
Akologo stressed that many retirees struggle with their health and finances, making it unreasonable to expect them to handle the physical and emotional demands of frontline care.
He also questioned the numbers.
“How many retired nurses are even available? Most of them left early, and they’re our members. The Minister doesn’t seem to realise that.”
While Akologo said GRNMA wouldn’t oppose retired nurses who choose to volunteer during the crisis, he insisted this won’t solve the core issue.
“If they come and help manage critical cases, fine. But how long can they sustain it? That’s not the answer.”
GRNMA is demanding the immediate rollout of new conditions of service. They argue that real negotiations—not stopgap solutions will end the strike and stabilise the health sector.
For now, the standoff continues, as nurses and midwives stand firm in their demands for lasting reform.
