Allied health professionals from the College of Health at Kintampo in the Brong Ahafo Region, have denied claims from the Ministry of Health, that the nurses have been cleared for employment and posted.
The Ministry announced in January that a total of three thousand two hundred and ninety four (3294) nurses and allied health professionals, had received financial clearance for employment by the Health Ministry.
[contextly_sidebar id=”NFcNu8t5Dg1f3te4zuyM59vfe3sVpBfg”]According to a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer at the Ministry, Tony Goodman, the employment of the nurses would “enable the Ministry of Health augment the staffing positions of various health facilities.”
The health personnel cleared included 97 Staff Nurses, 31 Staff Midwives, 2,333 Enrolled Nurses, 599 Community Health Nurses and 234 Allied Health Professionals are to be employed .
However, the Allied nurses have suggested that those who were sent posted, were already in the field, with most of the graduates from the College of Health in 2014 and 2015 yet to be posted .
A member of the Allied Health Professionals, Helina Prempeh, told Citi News that following complaints to the Ghana Health Service about their situation, they were told that some errors had been made which would soon be corrected.
“When we entered the year 2016, they re-posted them again. So we went to the Ghana Health Service and we told them that they have re-posted our teammates because they are already on the field and are taking their salaries,” she said.
“They were supposed to post us instead but they told us that it was a mistake they made so the correction would be made. We left them thinking those corrections would be made. Up till now, nothing has been done and they are claiming they haveposted 234 Allied nurses. We don’t know the people they have posted because all the allied health students from 2014 and 2015 are at home.”
The nurses have also criticized the Ministry of Health for their failure to present a clear understanding of their situation.
“When we go to the Ministry of Health, Tony Goodman says one thing, when he comes on air, he says something else. So we don’t know what’s going on,” Helina Prempeh said.
Nurses strike
There have been many strikes by several health groups in recent months who have demanded for, among other things, employment, and better conditions of service.
A few months ago, hundreds of concerned unemployed nurses from across the country picketed at the FlagStaff House to express their frustrations.
President John Dramani Mahama said his administration had put measures in place to absorb more trained nurses who have been rendered redundant following a freeze on public sector employment.
According to the President, more health facilities were being built across the country to absorb the numbers that remain unemployed despite completing their training and national service.
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana