A nationwide strike by nurses and midwives in Ghana is causing major disruptions in healthcare delivery across public hospitals, leaving thousands of patients without care. The strike, led by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), has resulted in abandoned posts at hospitals and clinics, especially at Outpatient Departments (OPDs), where patients are being left unattended.
The industrial action follows unresolved issues regarding the implementation of a Collective Agreement signed in 2024. During a high-level stakeholder meeting held on May 30, 2025, nurse and midwife unions expressed their frustration over the government’s failure to honor the agreement.
The meeting, which included the Ministry of Health and associations such as: Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives (UPNMG), Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA), National Association of Registered Midwives (NARM-G), Psychiatric Nurses Association of Ghana (PAPNG) and Nurses and Midwives Educators Society ended with some unions opting to continue services while the GRNMA maintained its decision to strike.
In response, the Ministry of Health has activated contingency plans to minimize the impact on essential health services:
Hospital managers and nursing directors must remain at post during the strike.
Emergency and maternity units are to remain operational in all public hospitals.
The National Ambulance Service is on standby across all districts.
Coordination centers are being established to manage emergency cases.
Daily reports on healthcare delivery will be submitted to the Acting Chief Director.
Collaboration with quasi-government health facilities to absorb excess patient load.
Rotational and clinical placement nurses have been instructed not to join the strike.
Across the country, health facilities are struggling to cope with the absence of nurses. Patients report long waiting times, delays in receiving treatment, and lack of communication about available services.
The Ministry has appealed to the GRNMA to reconsider its position, urging continued dialogue to resolve the impasse. In a statement, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh assured stakeholders that efforts are underway to address the concerns of the striking health workers.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has commended nurses and midwives who have remained at post to deliver critical care.