The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana (NMC) is under pressure to promptly halt the recently authorized verification charge, according to the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).
The GRNMA announced in a communiqué the startling 445.5% rise in the verification cost, which went from GHC550 to GHC3,000.
The organization called this increase “highly unacceptable,” highlighting the burden it puts on Ghanaian nurses and midwives.
Regarding the potential reason for the price increase, GRNMA inquired as to if it was meant to discourage medical professionals from looking for work elsewhere.
But the organization underlined that migration is a fundamental right and encouraged decision-makers to deal with the underlying issues rather than enacting restrictive laws.
Ghanaian healthcare workers do not receive the same remuneration as their colleagues in higher-income countries; this indicates the need for improved working conditions and equitable compensation, as highlighted by GRNMA.
“Considering the current economic difficulties in terms of the increased cost of goods and services, inflation, and the fact that our take-home salaries are actually not” taking us home.
“In light of these challenges, GRNMA issued three key demands: The Nursing and Midwifery Council should suspend the implementation of this new verification fee with immediate effect. Also, the Parliament of Ghana, as a matter of urgency and consideration for the plight of Ghanaian nurses and midwives, should look into this matter and revert to the old fees. If indeed any such increment must happen, we wish to humbly inform Parliament that we, the nurses and midwives of Ghana, can accommodate a maximum of a 25% increment,” the association said.
“All nurses and midwives are advised not to pay the new verification fee of GHC3,000 and are further advised to hold themselves in readiness for any action that the leadership will deem fit in the event that this matter is not resolved amicably.”
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com