We're Ready to Stay If... - Nurses

Ghanaian nurses who are suspected of coming tops in the emigration chart have disclosed that it is not their desire to desert the land of their birth for greener pastures elsewhere, but are compelled to do so due to poor working conditions. They have therefore pleaded with government and Ghanaians in general to meet them half way through their plight to halt the flights.

The assertion was made by Madam Serian Brown-Orleans, Greater Accra Region Deputy Director of Nursing Services, in an interview with the Chronicle at the Pantang Hospital last Friday.

Mad. Brown Orleans, who is also Regional Chairperson of the Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA), said the poor working conditions, low salaries and lack of essential working equipment at the hospitals frustrate nurses a lot. She has on behalf of her colleagues appealed to government to as she put it "give us a little push."

The regional chairperson spoke her mind shortly after an induction ceremony for 56 students who are to undertake a three-year course in Psychiatry Nursing at Pantang.

She explained, "We have our parents, children and loved ones here and would not want to leave them behind. Government must help us a bit and we will stay."

She listed other problems they face as housing and transportation, adding "the people of this country must speak for us because nursing is a difficult job."

Supporting her request, Mrs. Balchisu Iddrisu, Principal of the Pantang Nursing Training College, said it is sad that nurses of today have no secure future after all the years of service and disclosed that this fact is one of the remote reasons why many of them join the bandwagon.

She noted that people stress themselves outside because of the better conditions there and come back home to die, after making all the monies there, saying "we can also do the same."

Mrs. Iddrisu believes that given the right equipment nurses at home can work as hard as their colleagues outside.

For her part, a Psychiatry nurse, Miss Philomena Ekuban, said nurses need a lot of patience in life and said she was prepared to remain here for as long as it takes on condition that she had the right materials to work with.

When Chronicle contacted the Chief Nursing Officer, Hajia Mariama Sumani, for comments, she lamented that the rate of exodus is of great worry to the Ministry of Health because they have realized that apart from those who go outside, there is the "internal exodus" where nurses resign from the ministry only to join Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) the following day.

Hajia Sumani said as part of efforts to curb the trend, government is making available refreshment courses and sandwich programmes in addition to safe working environment for qualitative health delivery in the country.

At the induction ceremony, the Chief Nursing Officer emphasized the need for health workers to choose the various professions based on their interest and commitment and not because they want to use the sector as a springboard for proceeding to developed countries.

She therefore commended the fresh students for opting to train as mental health nurses and assured them of assisting to provide them career opportunities. She also implored tutors to "mother" the students in order to make them good nurses in future.

The principal of the school, in a speech, said in spite of problems, such as lack of water, accommodation, a good bus, the college is recognized as one of the best-managed in the region.

She said the college also offers psychiatry affiliated courses to other sister colleges at Korle-Bu, 37 Military Hospital, Nkawkaw, Koforidua, Ho and the Nursing Department of the University of Ghana, Legon.

As a final word of admonition, nurses were advised to remember their motto to always go out with a smile since it is a form of therapy to patients.

Present at the ceremony were Dr. Samuel Kpakpo Allotey, Specialist in-charge, Nii Eric Otubuah III, Chief of Pantang and Rev. Amarkwei, a minister of God.