Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health has sent a warning to unprofessional and rude nurses.
Mintah Akandoh asserted that most healthcare workers are dedicated and compassionate, and only a few tarnish the image of the rest.
According to Mintah Akandoh, rude and unprofessional’ nurses better shape up or ship out.
Speaking at a cholera sensitisation programme at the Winneba Government Hospital, he stated, “We have fantastic and very professional health workers but there are a few bad nuts amongst them, especially the way some of you handle patients. Sometimes you will be surprised to hear that somebody may be sick, (especially the aged). If you ask him or her to go to the hospital, he will say the nurse will insult me or shout at me.
“Irrespective of the level of provocation, we expect you to be very professional, it’s an appeal to the few bad nuts that are amongst you. Some of these things I will take it seriously. It doesn’t mean that we are going to come after somebody but it’s important for us to protect our patients and also make them feel comfortable”, he added.
The Health minister also noted that there has been a decline in health centres attendance due to how patients are being treated.
Mintah Akandoh further added, “And it is one of the reasons, why sometimes you go to some districts and the attendance or records at the government facility is lower than the private ones. It’s based on how you handle the patients. It’s a fact and we shouldn’t cover it. We must expose it to ensure the right thing is done.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has revealed that the dismissal of nurses and midwives recruited post-December 7 will affect 5000 nurses and midwives.
According to the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, the directive if carried upon will lead to a nationwide strike by nurses and midwives.
