Let’s take good care of ourselves - GRNMA

The Upper East Regional branch of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has entreated its members across health facilities in the Region to protect themselves from hospital-acquired infections, especially COVID-19.

The Association through its Regional Chairman, Mr Thomas Lambon, said leadership of the GRNMA appreciated the sacrifices nurses and midwives across the country made to ensure Ghana overcame the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chairman gave the advice when he addressed members of the Association in Sandema Hospital at a brief ceremony to present a cheque of GHC 10,000.00 to Mr Raphael Azungbiik, a member of the GRNMA and staff of the hospital who suffered from a health condition.

He said several members of the Association in the Region tested positive to COVID-19 in their line of duty, which led to the death of one member at the War Memorial Hospital in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality.

The Chairman said “Let us take good care of ourselves as nurses, we are the soldiers in the fight against the virus, and we must not give up.

“I want to encourage all of you to have the courage and follow the protocols religiously and be guarded by our Infection Prevention Control techniques as we work to save lives as nurses and midwives.”

Mr Lambon noted that the welfare of members of the Association was paramount to leadership, “We got information about the health condition of our member here, the necessary consultation was done from the national level and we are here to support one of our own.”

He disclosed that the Association had earlier presented another cheque of GHC 10,000.00 to Madam Nimatu Lukman, a member of the Association in the Bolgatanga Municipality who also suffered some health complications.

The Chairman called for unity among members of the Association, and said plans were underway to engage all GRNMA members at the Municipal and District levels to interact with them and address any grievances they may have about the Association.

He advised nurses and midwives to work in harmony with Managers of health facilities, especially Deputy Directors of Nursing Services (DDNS) and stressed that “They are our members, don’t do things to sabotage them.

“We don’t want misunderstandings between nurses and DDNS. Respect the office of the DDNS, and use the right channel to address issues,” he added.

Mr Lambon announced to members that the Region had received a brand new Toyota minibus as part of donation of minibuses to the Association’s administrative Regions for administrative purposes.

Mr Joseph Kurubil, the DDNS of the Sandema Hospital thanked the Regional Chairman and the entire leadership of the GRNMA for the support extended to their member and staff of the hospital.

He said nurses and midwives must live and work in unity to improve the health care system in the Region, and appealed to members of the Association to use appropriate channels of communication to have their grievances addressed.

“We ourselves have to grow the system, we are a family,” the head of Nursing in the facility added.

Mr Azungbiik, after receiving the donation, thanked the Association for the support.