Nurses and midwives at Asesewa Government Hospital in the Eastern Region have abandoned their post for a protest march to push government to improve their service condition.
About 100 nurses and midwives stormed the streets of Upper Manya Krobo to demonstrate against lack of protective uniforms, phony medical examinations, overbilling of patients among others.
In a petition submitted to management of the hospital, the nurses and midwives notes that “we can categorically state that we receive nothing in terms of motivation and for that matter coming to a stage where we got to pull heavens down before we are given uniforms/protective clothing is deeply regrettable.”
Read the full petition below:
PETITION
The above mentioned association members of the Asesewa government hospital chapter wish to draw the attention of all concerned stakeholders, the under listed issues of worry for urgent redress so as to ensure peaceful co-existence and conducive atmosphere that will promote patients’ recovery.
UNIFORMS
Nurses in the facility, the largest workforce and revenue generators in the hospital are so displeased about the weak commitment of management towards the provision of uniform/protective clothing since four years. We can categorically state that we receive nothing in terms of motivation and for that matter coming to a stage where we got to pull heavens down before we are given uniforms/protective clothing is deeply regrettable. As per our current collective agreement, we are entitled to three (3) set of uniforms in a year.
We, therefore, request your timely intervention to make nurses received their uniforms since a memo from management is in circulation that uniforms will be provided after June 2017 of which we strongly disagree and we will not take it in good fate.
ADVOCACY
We are with heavy hearts as we request your high office to intervene in a situation where insured clients who undergo surgeries e. g. hernia repair is charged to the tune of GHC300.00 each and nothing less than GHC100.00 each from insured clients who undergo a caesarean section.
These monies are not covered by receipt worsening the financial burden of the clients. We have picked signals that doctors in the facility have a personal issue against nurses because of their refusal to aid such money collections that do not go to the hospital coffers.
3. PHONY MEDICAL EXAMS
It has come to light that individuals are going through medical examinations in this facility without visiting the special units for assessment putting both employers, employees and the general public at risk because the authenticity of such medical report cannot be guaranteed since such clients do not visit the vital units in the hospital e. g. ENT, Ophthalmic and mental health units but yet still have those columns on the forms filled by non-specialist. These clients are charged Ghc100.00 each which does not go through the hospital’s coffers but to individual pocket using the hospital’s name.
4. COMPROMISED ASEPSIS
It is very unfortunate that this facility has come to the stage where the only operating theatre in the entire Upper Manya Krobo District is ill-equipped in terms of gowns(2) and other supplies.
We honestly will not settle for less, all in the name of “anything to save lives”. In this age, rubber aprons are used in place of gowns to perform the operation as well as re-use of non-sterile gowns. Whenever nurses complain about these occurrences, the response is that elsewhere it is done.
5. ILL SUPPLY OF CONSUMABLES DESPITE TOP UP PAYMENTS BY PATIENTS
Management and stakeholders met and approved some extra charges from clients to help boost the supply of consumables. Clients are levied as agreed by the parties yet there has not been any change in the supply of these consumables.
When you ask, the response is that there is no money meanwhile clients are continually paying the extra charges of which they do not benefit fully from the intended purpose of the charges.
6. OTHER DISINCENTIVES
Forceful collection of monies by some administrative staff before documents for promotions and salaries are processed. We want it to be clear that just as we the most exposed category of workers go about our duties and do not demand unnecessarily from patients, we do not expect anyone who is paid mainly for that job to set such conditions when it comes to the handling of our documents. We are human and we will appreciate who deserves it when the need be.
HINDERED COMMUNICATION FLOW
It is worrying to note that when we communicate formally to management, we do not get a reply rather management seem to be targeting the association leadership and creating a picture as if they are engineers of tension forgetting that they not responding to the issues are the cause of the tension in the facility. We are just, kind and have sacrificed a lot even though unseen. We are not after any individual; we are only calling for fair play. We own what is due us. We are slowly getting to a stage where we might not be compatible with some members of management who will make an attempt to down play nursing in the hospital.
Thank you.
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