Newly graduated nurses and midwives defy heavy downpour to demand employment and allowances

In a display of dissatisfaction, members of the Rotational Nurses and Midwifery Association, supported by Graduate Unemployed Nurses and Midwives, rallied in the streets of Accra to voice their grievances.

Their frustration is primarily directed at government entities, particularly the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF), accusing them of failing to grant financial clearance for nine months in order to secure permanent employment for trained nurses and midwives from accredited institutions since 2020.

Undeterred by the heavy rain, the determined nurses and midwives persisted in their fervent call for improved working conditions.

The demonstration commenced at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, drawing participation from both the Rotational Nurses and Midwifery Association and the Graduate Unemployed Nurses. They later proceeded to the Ministry of Health, formally presenting their initial petition.

Among the demonstrators was Karen Appiah, a 28-year-old mother and unemployed nurse, who arrived with her baby strapped securely to her back. Since 2020, she has eagerly awaited employment opportunities, clinging to hope for a better future for herself and her child.

Atta Asante, the Secretary of the Unregistered Nurses and Midwives Association, disclosed resorting to galamsey activities for survival.

Karen, Atta, and their fellow demonstrators eventually marched to Parliament House, where they submitted their petition to Deputy Clerk of Parliament, Ebenezer Djietror.

With over 75,000 graduate unemployed nurses and midwives lamenting the lack of employment four years after completing their education, the urgency of their plight is felt across the nation.