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Today, there were chaotic scenes in public health facilities across Ghana as the nurses' and midwives' strike reached a critical point. The complete withdrawal of services has left patients without care, clinics overcrowded, and doctors overwhelmed, even though a court order from the National Labour Commission (NLC) tried to stop the strike.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) says they will not return to work until their demands are met. The strike started in phases on June 2, 2025, and became a total withdrawal of services on June 9. The GRNMA is protesting the delay in implementing the 2024 Collective Agreement, which covers salaries, allowances, and working conditions.
The association claims the government is not negotiating in good faith, which goes against the Labour Law. Despite the NLC's order, the nurses have continued their strike, stopping healthcare services in many public facilities.
The NLC has filed another request for compulsory arbitration to address the issue. At Ridge Hospital in Accra, patients were left unattended. One woman told JoyNews, "We arrived around 5:30 a.m., and we haven't been seen because of the strike. We were told doctors would see us, but they are busy in the wards."
At Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, some senior nurses tried to help patients, but junior nurses stopped them, causing chaos in the emergency ward. This was resolved when hospital management stepped in.
Other regions are also affected. In Tamale, Central and West hospitals were empty as nurses and midwives followed the strike order. The Upper East Regional Hospital also saw a total withdrawal of services.
The GRNMA has warned that the strike will continue until their demands are met. They are asking the government to solve the issues and implement the 2024 Collective Agreement to improve working conditions for nurses and midwives.