Nurses and Midwives Day: GRNMA calls on government for support

The Ga East District chapter of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association has called on the government for more support to make them more efficient in the discharge of their duties.

The health workers are lamenting the limited resources available to them.

Speaking on Campus Exclusive, Madam Rebecca Kumah, a senior nursing officer and Assistant Secretary to the Association, said that “since COVID has exposed the many loopholes in our health sector, it is about time we look into those aspects”

She called for improved infrastructure and logistics to be used in performing their duties.

Rebecca Kumah said that it was unfortunate that basic tools such as BP checkers and protective equipment were sometimes unavailable in hospitals.

“It is not my joy that I go to work and there’s nothing to work with and my patients are suffering and dying. We don’t take delight in that but we also get frustrated when things are not working out. Basic logistics like BP and other apparatus to work with are not available. Sometimes, we even need gloves to work with and that becomes challenging,” she said.

Chairperson of the Association, Esther Osei, also speaking on called for more encouraging words from the public.

She said that nurses in the country were diligent in their work, however, more emphasis has been given to the actions of bad ones.

“When we are talking about motivation, a lot of people think of money. The good things that we have done is more than the very bad ones that come out. All we are saying is that our motivation can be tapping us or praising us. Like this day for instance, what are the facilities even doing? Today is International Nurses Day, what are the words of encouragement you are giving to the nurses out there? Money is very important, no two ways about that, but we are not only asking for the money. An aspect of motivation needed includes psychological motivation and we are not only asking the stakeholders, our cherished client as well. Just as when we do bad things you are able to go on air and speculate it and say all kinds of things, in the same way when we do good things to you, you come out and say it. That motivates us”

The chairperson also pleaded with the general public to look beyond misconceptions about the nursing profession and have genuine love towards them.

“We would want the public to know that we are there for them. It is because of them that we are being trained; going to school for four years to come out as nurses. So they should come to us whenever they have issues. As the saying goes, “In every house, there is a Mensah.” The fact that one nurse spoke to you in an unpleasant manner doesn’t mean all nurses are like that. Nurses are very kind. They are very generous. We love the job and so they should bear with us and come to us always.”

International Nurses and Midwives Day

Organized annually by the International Council of Nurses, International Nurses day celebrates the contribution that nurses make to societies around the world.

The date, May 12, is significant because it is the birthday of the world’s most famous nurse, Florence Nightingale.

Their exceptional contribution has proved to inspire their determination and hard work in nursing during this pandemic.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Nurses And Midwives, A Voice To Lead In The Vision For A Transformed Healthcare In A Post Covid World.”