Report by: Ben LARYEA
The Midwives’ Group of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has called on government to put in place swift measures to restore incentives and allowances for midwives at hard to reach areas like island communities, un-motorable roads, remote areas accommodation challenges and the likes.
“According to the group, the allowances and incentives will serve as an enhanced booster for practitioners as government have woefully failed to observe the allowance as an investment into midwifery which will enable practitioners to perform and work to the maximum best”, the Group lamented.
“Newly posted midwives get to their duty posts at hard-to-reach communities and disappointed of not finding accommodation which is clearly stipulated in the Association’s condition of service that accommodation be provided by government there due diligence be applied to that effect”, the Group stated.
Restore incentives and allowances for Midwives at deprived communities – Midwives Group
The Midwives’ Group made the call at the maiden conference themed “A Voice to Lead In the Midst of Challenges in the Healthcare System”.
Speaking at the conference in Accra, the Chairperson of the Midwives’ Group, Ms, Faustina Asamoah outlined challenges in the healthcare delivery systems such as the absence of CTG machines which is a major tool for the proper management of labour cases, absence of medications for pain relief on emergency cases.
The rest are lukewarm attitude to study leave, as training is selectively done and practitioners chasing documents on promotion accompanied with the payment of money to unscrupulous persons to facilitate approvals.
On poor infrastructure, she urged government to refurbish the old facilities to create a conducive environment for working, the absence of changing rooms and rest rooms have added unto the challenges and was quick to explain that the said issues have led to the recent issues of suicides among practitioners.
Restore incentives and allowances for Midwives at deprived communities – Midwives Group
Ms Faustina however urged government to roll out sponsorship programmes to enhance education and research among practitioners adding that the move will aspire them to scale up academia and clinical specialization to add value to the profession.
“There should be regulation on the training of midwives and explained that the proliferation of midwifery schools across the country be monitored”, she advised and congratulated the University of Ghana for the introduction of MPhil in Midwifery and urged other institutions of higher learning to do same.
For her part, a Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery of the University of Ghana, Dr. Florence Naab called for a robust system of midwifery training in the country and however urged academic institutions in the Group fraternity to discontinue the training of midwives at the diploma level and prepare them at the degree level.
President of GRNMA, Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo thanked midwives for their unflinching support towards the healthcare systems of the country and said they have contributed immensely to curb the surge in infant and maternal mortality across the country.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kumah-Aboagye said government have introduced several programmes and have adopted operational plans to achieve quality maternal and child health services in the various hospitals across the country.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
