We’ll post aggrieved Nurses soon – Tina Mensah

The deputy Minister of Health Tina Mensah has assured that process are far advanced to get the aggrieved bonded nurses picketing at the health Ministry posted.

Nonetheless, she said they would have to be a bit patient as the Ministry is in talks with the Finance Ministry to get the necessary clearance for that. “We are still talking to finance Ministry and very soon we will post them,” she said Wednesday on Morning Starr in an interaction with Francis Abban.

Defying the rains

The aggrieved unemployed bonded nurses spent the night at the Ministry of Health despite Tuesday night’s heavy downpour.

It is their second night at the ministry as they seek for clearance to be employed.

Hundreds of them comprising general nurses, midwives and psychiatric nurses slept at the Ministry Monday after picketing there to demand their posting. The over 900 nurses had been jobless since completing their National Service in August last year.

According to them, despite several attempts to get the government to fulfill its campaign promise to ensure their postings when elected nothing had been done about their situation thus far.

Some of them who spoke to Starr News’ Daniel Nii Lartey described government’s treatment of them as inhumane.

Nonetheless, they said they would not be cowed by the weather and vacate the ministry.

Appeals

Distraught by their conditions, the Public Relation Officer of the Ministry, Robert Cudjoe appealed to them to be patient as government continues with process to get them posted to various health posts across the country.

He said: “We have started the recruitment exercises and some categories of nurses have been issued their appointment letters. Some have reported to their stations and have started work. It’s a process because it’s a huge number and about 11,000 have been cleared.

“We instructed the various heads of agencies to begin the recruitment process. We are looking at over 7000 health professionals but this category of nurses’ issue is also on the table and it’s being discussed, so at an appropriate time.”

The Chief Director at the Ministry Dr Afissah Zakaria said her outfit is liaising with the Finance Ministry to facilitate the clearance of the affected nurses for their postings.