The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), is urging the government to allocate five percent of oil revenue to the health sector.
The association believes this investment is essential for addressing gaps in healthcare, including disease management, personnel retention, and infrastructure improvement.
President of the GRNMA, Dr David Tenkorang Twum emphasised that without this funding, the country risks a crisis, as the current lack of attention and resources has already had a devastating impact on the sector.
“I think that we have to take very calculated and bold decisions in providing financing to the health sector. We are proposing that at least between two to five per cent of our oil revenue should be directed towards health,” he made these comments on Joy News’ PM Express on July 17.
Dr Twum is also advocating for the maintenance of nursing training allowances.
He explained that a recent study revealed that student-nurses handle 40% of nurses’ workload in hospitals, and their allowances serve as a form of compensation for their significant contributions.
“It is not just money dashed out to student nurses. A study was carried out in 2014 and we found out that 40% of nursing services that are rendered in our various health facilities are performed by student-nurses. So it is a form of compensation for what they do,” he added.
On the other hand, the Center for Democratic Development fellow on health, Dr Kwame Sarpong Asiedu demanded that the government commit to the Abuja declaration.
This declaration requires government to invest 15% of its revenue in health. This way, the government can invest money to fight and combat diseases when the need arises.
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