The recent surge in covid-19 infections in the country has raised concerns among nurses and midwives in the country more so because many nurses and midwives are also being infected. Recently, a nurse at the War Memorial Hospital in the Kasena Nankana Municipal of the Upper East Region lost his life to covid-19 with several others testing positive for the virus.
Considering the situation, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) released a press statement regarding the increased rate of infections among nurses and midwives. The association in the press statement called on the government to ensure adequate distribution of PPEs to health facilities at all levels to ensure the safety of health professionals. Also, the government promised insurance packages for health workers who may get infected, get critically ill from the infection, and may unfortunately die. They urged the government therefore to fast-track these insurance premiums to serve as motivation for those fighting the pandemic.
The government for some months in 2020, gave health workers tax waivers which ended in December. GRNMA has called on the government to reinstate the tax waiver for health workers to motivate them as they fight the pandemic. While this is a necessary call on the government, nurses and midwives in Ghana are of the view that GRNMA in its capacity can also do something for its members. People believe that giving “deduction waivers” including the building levy and association dues can also motivate members of the association.