Ghana Health Service revokes suspension of breastfeeding staff

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has overturned the suspension of a nursing mother at the Odumase CHPS compound for breastfeeding her baby at work.

Rita Adu-Kyei was suspended for two weeks by the Municipal Director of Health Services, Martin Osafo Osei.

The suspension letter in part read: “My outfit is suspending you from work for two weeks with immediate effect due to your refusal to take verbal instructions from me not to bring your baby to work… More so, you have been warned on several occasions against this conduct,” the letter read in part.

“It should come to your notice that this development may affect your monthly salary for July 2017 during the period of your suspension and on resumption of duty to work you are expected to report to the Municipal Health Director of Health Services,” it concluded.

Speaking to Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on 505 on Class91.3FM, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Health Service, Rebecca Ackwonu, said the suspension letter had been revoked and the matter settled.

“We also heard the information so we had to call the Regional Director and the Deputy Director, Administration. They’ve had a meeting with the Municipal Director. He has retracted, withdrawn the letter and apologised, but the lady never stopped working anyway; she was still working,” she stated.

“The matter has been resolved. She can take her baby to work. Unfortunately, we don’t have a facility that takes care of the baby but when these situations arrive we allow them to bring the babies to work. So the matter has been resolved.”

Ms Ackwonu disclosed that Mr Osei has been queried and assured that such an act will not happen again.

Meanwhile, labour expert Senyo Adjabeng has said Mr Osei should render an unqualified apology to the victim.

According to him, the apology letter should be signed by Mr Osei’s superiors and records of the suspension letter expunged from the victim’s employment record.