Govt urged to act on modalities set for the disbursement of ADHA

Cape Coast, July 14, GNA- Members of the Central Regional branch of the Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GNRA) on Wednesday called on the government to act on the report of the technical committee set by the ministry of health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to work out modalities for the disbursement of the Additional Duty Hours Allowance (ADHA).

This would enable all categories of health workers to enjoy the approved hours allotted to them.

The Members who made the call a in press release signed by a nine -member executive chaired by Ms Yvonne Graham-Hayfron, said tension was mounting in the region on mal-distribution of the ADHA to nurses and that nurses had found the ADHA a disincentive, considering the hours allotted to them compared to the other health professionals who always enjoyed 200 hours irrespective of the number of hours they clock and their staff strength.

The release, which was issued after the regional council meeting at Cape Coast, also deliberated on pertinent issues that affect nurses in the GHS/MOH taking cognisance of the nursing brain drain and its effects on health care delivery.

They said most nurses wanting to seek greener pastures do so because they were not properly motivated.

The nurses asked that the setting out of ceiling for institutions instead of actual hours done should be reviewed and adequate fund be allotted to the institutions to enable them to pay the ADHA as an incentive to motivate the few nurses who are patriotic to the state.

"There is currently agitation among nurses in the region and that the executive would not be able to contain it if these disparities in the disbursement of the ADHA were not properly curtailed" the statement said.

They also asked that the rural incentive for health professional should be implemented without any further delay.