Nurses & Midwives Association wants reassigned U/W GHS director investigated

The Upper West Regional branch of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives’ Association (GRNMA) has called on the Ghana Health Service and government to investigate Dr. O.K Afreh following his reassignment to the headquarters of the Ghana Health Service.

Dr Osei Kuffour Afreh was the Upper West Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service before his reassignment to the headquarters.

They also urged the government to expedite the handing over the process so as to save the ailing health system in the region.

According to them, failure to expedite the above action will be dangerous as they are currently having challenges in the health system in the region.

In a statement, the association noted that failure on the part of the government to address this issue before Monday 27th April, will attract a strike action by the Nurses and Midwives.

Below is the full statement:

The Upper West Regional branch of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives’ Association (GRNMA) has intercepted a letter dated, 20th April, 2020 signed by the Director-General of the GHS, Dr. Parick Kuma-Aboagye re-assigning Dr. O.K Afreh to the headquarters of the GHS. We wish to thank the DG for this intervention but to also call on the Regional Director to consider the situation in the region and expedite the handing over process so as to save the ailing health system in the region. This call is important because his further dragging of the process would worsen the situation as he may not be able to focus on giving instructions to his subordinates as we are beginning to see in some places. It is extremely dangerous to leave gaps at this time given the delicate nature of the health system in the region. Members of the GRNMA constitute up to 70% of the total workforce in the health sector, therefore, when the sector gets bad, our members bear the brunt the most.

As a consequence, therefore, if by Monday, 27th April, 2020 he still fails to initiate steps to handover, all Nurses and Midwives in the region shall wear red bands to work as a FIRST STEP to drum home this crucial call.

The GRNMA also wishes to call on the GHS and government for that matter to take keen interest in conducting urgent forensic investigations into the following:

1. all financial handlings within his reign as Regional Director, especially in his last one week

in office

2. the recent quota/financial clearance for recruitment of staff into the service in the region,

3. all the over 40 CSM deaths in the region and

4. all donations received through the Health Directorate in respect of the fight against COVID19 and CSM in the Upper West Region.

The GRNMA and its members are committed to working tirelessly with the service to safeguard the lives of Ghanaians even in these trying times.

Members of the general public are entreated to continue to stay safe by following all the safety protocols as we preach out there. COVID-19 shall pass, CSM shall pass.

Thank you.