PUSAG mourns with families of dead persons due to nurses strike; calls for national dialogue on health sector reforms

Mr Ibrahim Issah, President of Private University Students Association of Ghana (PUSAG)

The leadership of the Private Universities Students’ Association of Ghana (PUSAG) has expressed deep sorrow and concern over the recent strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), which has reportedly resulted in multiple preventable deaths across the country.

Speaking in Accra, the PUSAG President, Ibrahim Issah, described the development as tragic and a wake-up call for urgent reforms within Ghana’s healthcare system.

He noted that while the grievances of nurses and midwives were legitimate, the consequences of their industrial action had disproportionately affected vulnerable Ghanaians who depend on public health services for survival.

“We can negotiate for pay, but not for life. When tools go down, hearts must not stop beating,” President Issah said passionately.

Details:

PUSAG’s statement followed disturbing reports from health facilities across various regions, indicating that over 4,500 outpatient visits were missed within the first 72 hours of the strike.

 At least 11 lives were reportedly lost, with maternal and emergency care severely disrupted in the Northern, Bono, and Greater Accra Regions.

Citing Section 162 of the Labour Act (Act 651), the PUSAG President noted that health services are designated as essential and therefore must maintain a minimum level of operation even during strikes.

He emphasized that the disruption seen during the GRNMA strike had breached both legal and ethical obligations.

Calls to Action:

The PUSAG leadership made specific appeals to all stakeholders involved:

               1.To the GRNMA, the Association urged restraint and encouraged the use of arbitration, negotiated settlements, and legal processes as alternatives to strikes that put lives at risk.

               2.            To the Government and the Ministry of Health, PUSAG called for an urgent and transparent national dialogue with health unions. The student body also proposed the creation of a National Essential Services Mediation Desk with a maximum 14-day arbitration timeline, as well as legal safeguards to protect emergency healthcare during industrial actions.

3.To Civil Society and Stakeholders, the association called on religious leaders, Parliament, the National Labour Commission, and CHRAJ to resist the normalization of preventable deaths during labour disputes and support reforms that balance worker rights with the right to life.

Student Leadership Perspective:

Mr Ibrahim stressed that PUSAG, as a student-led body representing over 137 private tertiary institutions, is deeply committed to a Ghana where the protection of life is prioritized in all public policies.

He added that PUSAG would be engaging Parliament and human rights institutions to demand accountability and champion reforms that reflect a people-first approach to labour negotiations.

“The lives lost should not be in vain. This must be the turning point for a more compassionate and balanced approach to essential service delivery in Ghana,” he said.

The PUSAG President concluded by reaffirming the Association’s role in advocating for policies that protect the weak and voiceless, especially during times of crisis.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.