Jefferson Asare, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), has made a heartfelt appeal for respect and understanding for the nursing profession amid growing tensions over poor working conditions and a lack of essential supplies.
Appearing on the GTV Breakfast Show on June 11, 2025, Asare criticized what he described as widespread misinformation and shallow commentary circulating on social and traditional media platforms. These narratives, he argued, often dismiss or diminish the legitimate concerns raised by nurses.
“As a passionate young Ghanaian nurse, I’m deeply saddened and disturbed when media outlets without the full picture portray nurses as undeserving of what they are demanding,” he said.
He stressed that while critics may be winning the battle on social media, the real crisis is unfolding in health facilities across the country, where patients are not receiving adequate care due to a lack of resources.
“We’re not asking for luxury,” he emphasized. “We’re asking for protection, for basic equipment, for working conditions that offer some level of dignity. Is that too much to ask?”
Asare also pointed out that public perception often focuses narrowly on outpatient departments, overlooking the critical roles nurses play in intensive care and high-dependency units — areas that require more advanced tools and support to function safely and effectively.
On the legal side of the dispute, he challenged the Labour Commission’s directive labeling the ongoing strike as illegal and demanding nurses return to work. Asare argued that the Labour Act mandates the Commission to address grievances from essential service workers within three days of notification — a duty he said was ignored.
“You can hide behind legality to force nurses back to work,” he said, “but our profession is emotionally, mentally, and psychologically demanding. You can compel a nurse to show up, but you can’t compel them to give their best under distress.”
Nurses and midwives under the GRNMA have been on strike since Monday, June 9, 2025, in protest over the government’s delay in fully implementing their 2024 collective agreement. The industrial action has led to a shutdown of outpatient departments and suspension of critical services, including emergency and antenatal care.
Despite a court injunction against the strike, the GRNMA has held its ground, insisting the government must honor its commitments without further delay.
