The Graduate Unemployed Nurses and Midwives Association (GUNMA) has taken to the streets of Tamale to protest against their dire unemployment situation.
Expressing deep dissatisfaction with the government and its agencies, particularly the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Ministry of Finance (MoF), the group lamented the lack of financial clearance and permanent employment for over 75,000 graduate nurses and midwives who have completed training at accredited public universities and training colleges.
These professionals have successfully passed their licensing exams administered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Demanding action, the aggrieved nurses urged the government to address the backlog of nurses and midwives from 2020, 2021, and 2022 who are awaiting posting to serve the nation.
They highlighted the irony of qualified nurses and midwives remaining unemployed while the government opts to hire individuals with minimal training, such as Senior High School (SHS) graduates, for healthcare positions.
One nurse, Abdul Rauf, raises a question about the NMC’s role in their plight
He cited the Health Professional Regulatory Act which mandates the Council to ensure the highest standards of training and practice for nurses and midwives in the country.
With trained and inducted professionals sitting at home for nearly four years, Rauf questions the Council’s fulfillment of its mandate and called for concrete action to alleviate their predicament.
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