The Ghana NCD Alliance (GhNCDA), Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST-Ghana), Stroke Association Support Network and other civil society organizations stands in solidarity with the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) in their demand for better working conditions. We acknowledge that fair compensation and dignified labor practices are fundamental to sustaining a healthy and committed healthcare workforce. However, as the nationwide strike by nurses and midwives enters its second week, we must draw attention to the growing humanitarian and public health crisis this action is causing—particularly among individuals living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and other chronic health conditions.
From Accra to Tamale, Cape Coast to Bolgatanga, and across smaller towns and rural districts, public healthcare services have been severely disrupted. Vital services such as dialysis, cancer treatment, hypertension management, diabetes care, asthma management, cardiovascular disease interventions, stroke rehabilitation, and mental health services are now either inaccessible or drastically reduced. These disruptions have left thousands of patients, many of whom require continuous and time-sensitive care, making them vulnerable and at risk of preventable complications, disability, or even death.
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In Ho, for instance, dialysis patients are being turned away due to staff shortages. Elsewhere, patients with epilepsy or severe asthma have no access to critical medication reviews, counseling, or emergency services. The burden of care is increasingly shifting to private facilities, leading to skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs for patients, most of whom cannot afford these sudden expenses. This not only threatens health outcomes but further entrenches inequality in access to healthcare.
The toll of this strike action is not limited to physical health. The uncertainty, fear, and anxiety faced by patients and their families, coupled with the emotional stress of being unable to access care, and the financial strain of seeking services in private facilities are escalating mental health challenges.
Furthermore, the strike threatens Ghana’s long-term health commitments. The goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030, as well as progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—specifically SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) is under serious threat. This crisis starkly exposes the fragility of our health system and the urgency of systemic reforms to avoid future occurrences.
We also call on all political parties to desist from politicizing this crisis and instead confront it as a national emergency. Health is a fundamental human right and a national priority, therefore must never be reduced to partisan debate. The lives of Ghanaians cut across political affiliations, and healthcare solutions must be shaped by our shared humanity.
We call on all stakeholders to act with urgency and compassion. We welcome the recent directive by His Excellency the President of the Republic, urging the Ministry of Finance to develop a roadmap for resolution in consultation with the GRNMA. However, words must now translate into swift action to protect human life.
We propose the following:
- Put Patients First:All stakeholders must recognize that at the core of these negotiations are lives. Budgetary discussions must not come at the cost of human suffering.
- Explore Mediation and Good Faith Dialogue: We encourage all parties to enter the negotiations aimed at restoring services while preserving dignity and rights.
- Address the Financial Shock on Patients:Government, donors, and health financing partners should consider emergency subsidy schemes or health fund relief mechanisms to support NCD patients who are now compelled to seek costly care in private hospitals.
- Do Not Neglect Mental Health:Psychological support services must be made available, especially for vulnerable groups facing treatment and care disruptions.
- Protect the Vulnerable Now:while the strike continues, immediate relief measures—including temporary staffing through retired nurses, emergency contracts, private health facilities and or NGO support—must be instituted to restore critical services like dialysis, cancer care, and hypertension management.
- Civil Society, Media, and Faith-Based Organizations Must Rise:Let us collectively elevate voices that put patients at the center. Urge both parties through increased advocacy, support, and public pressure to end this deadlock.
This crisis must not continue. Every hour of delay risks another life, deepens public distrust in the system, and reverses years of progress in health delivery. As an alliance committed to equity, dignity, meaningful engagement and justice in health, we call for a swift, humane resolution that upholds both the rights of health workers and the dignity of patients.
Let this be a defining moment in our collective conscience—a moment where Ghana chooses people over politics, lives over litigation, and humanity over hierarchy.
Labram Musah
National Coordinator, Ghana NCD Alliance
Executive Director, VAST Ghana
0243211854
11 June, 2025
