In a significant development for Ghana’s healthcare system, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has announced the suspension of its nationwide strike, which had severely affected public health delivery in recent weeks.
The decision to suspend the industrial action was revealed in a press statement released by the Association on Friday, June 13, 2025, citing constructive engagement with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health and overwhelming public concern as key factors in their decision.
“The strike was never a political move. It was about our livelihoods and conditions of service,” the Association emphasized.
The strike action, which officially began on June 2, initially saw nurses and midwives donning red armbands in protest. By June 9, the situation had escalated into a full-scale strike, with the withdrawal of outpatient and emergency services across various public health facilities, leading to widespread concern among patients and the general public.
The GRNMA embarked on the strike to demand the implementation of a Collective Agreement that was signed with government stakeholders in May 2024. The agreement outlined better working conditions, improved compensation, and general welfare enhancements for Ghana’s nurses and midwives.
According to the Association, multiple appeals to the employer for action on the agreement had gone unanswered, leaving them with no alternative but to resort to industrial action.
Following days of disruptions in healthcare services and growing public anxiety, the Parliamentary Health Committee called an emergency meeting with GRNMA leadership on Thursday, June 12. The meeting was described as very fruitful, with both sides agreeing to revisit the core issues raised and seek a peaceful and lasting resolution.
“As a result of the productive dialogue with the Health Committee of Parliament and in response to the calls from the public, the Association’s industrial action initiated on 2nd June 2025 is hereby suspended pending the outcome of a follow-up meeting scheduled for 26th June 2025.”
With the suspension now in effect, all nurses and midwives under GRNMA are expected to resume normal duties starting Saturday, June 14, 2025. The Association urged its members to return to work in good faith, trusting that the parliamentary mediation process will yield positive outcomes.
The GRNMA expressed sincere gratitude to the Parliamentary Health Committee for its swift intervention and acknowledged the media, the public, and patients for their understanding and support during the difficult period.
“We remain committed to providing essential health services to Ghanaians and believe that matters concerning our welfare must always be addressed with urgency and in good faith,” the Association concluded.
The fate of the nurses’ demands will now depend on the outcome of the next meeting with Parliament’s Health Committee on June 26, 2025. Stakeholders and the public are hopeful that the government will honour the 2024 Collective Agreement and avert any future disruptions in health service delivery.