MoH cuts number of midwives, nurses to benefit from insurance package

Some 429 nurses and midwives whose names were presented to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to benefit from the government’s insurance package, cannot benefit from the programme.

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association has said it presented a list of 500 of its members serving as front-line workers in various capacities to the Ministry but the list has been reduced to 71, leaving out the rest.

General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, David Tenkorang Twum says out of the 71, only a few have been paid their packages.

“The payment of the insurance has started but it is only sluggish. Quite apart from that, if you take Komfo Anokye as an example about 500 names were shortlisted to benefit from the package but out of this, the ministry further shortlisted it to 71. It is only Dr. Nsiah Asare (Government Advisor on Health) who can answer this question and out of the 71 only 40 people have received their package” he said on the Sunrise Morning Show on 3FM 92.7.

The government announced in 2020 a GH¢10,000 insurance package for health professionals working on COVID-19 patients including those in Intensive Care Unit and Contact tracers.

Workers at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital have threatened to lay down their tools if they do not receive a favourable response from the government.

Meanwhile, Government Advisor on Health Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare said directives have been given for the various groups to compile all those lists and bring it for payment.