Accra, 14 June 2025 – Ghana’s healthcare system, long under strain from intense industrial action, is beginning to see a glimmer of relief as the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has suspended its nationwide strike. After weeks of service disruptions, mounting casualty concerns, and a public outcry over interrupted medical care, negotiations have led to a pivotal decision: the nurses will return to duty starting Saturday, June 14, 2025.

A Crisis in Healthcare

The strike, which was ignited on June 2, 2025, quickly escalated into a full-scale industrial action. Hospitals across the country were forced into emergency modes as patient care suffered dramatically: public hospitals like Korle Bu Teaching Hospital reported preventable deaths reaching up to 25 per day. Chronic patients, including those with hypertension, diabetes, and cancer, saw their treatments delayed, while even emergency services came to a standstill. Civil society organizations warned that this interruption in healthcare services risked plunging the nation into a full-scale public health crisis.

The Demands Behind the Strike

At the heart of the industrial action were the pressing demands of nurses and midwives for the full implementation of their 2024 collective bargaining agreement. Key items on their agenda included:

• Annual Bonuses: An additional month's salary promised as a reward for continuous service.

• Fuel and Medical Allowances: Essential benefits to reduce the cost burdens of working in a resource-constrained sector.

• Incentives for Rural Postings: Competitive benefits aimed at encouraging healthcare professionals to serve in remote, underserved areas.

• Support for License Renewals: Financial assistance to ease the cost of maintaining professional credentials.

Despite earlier negotiations with the government, many of these critical provisions were reportedly omitted from the 2025 budget, leading to widespread frustration among over 120,000 healthcare workers and precipitating the strike.

The Turning Point: Negotiations and Parliamentary Intervention

Amid escalating public concern and patient distress, the government and key stakeholders, including parliamentary representatives, engaged in urgent talks with the GRNMA leadership. In a press conference on June 13, 2025, GRNMA President Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo announced that the discussions with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health had been “fruitful.” As a result, the association has decided to suspend the strike, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for June 26, 2025, to finalize longer-term commitments.

In her address, Mrs. Ofori-Ampofo emphasized that the decision to call off the strike was made in light of the public’s exasperation and the humanitarian need to safeguard patient lives. She added, “We do not take joy in seeing our patients suffer; however, we must also see that our own welfare is secured so we can continue to provide effective care.”

Impact and the Road Ahead

Even as the strike is now suspended, Ghana’s healthcare institutions continue to grapple with its lingering effects. Hospitals are gradually ramping up services as nurses return to their posts, though experts warn that the resolution of this crisis hinges on concrete actions to implement the nurses’ demands. With the government estimating that the cost of meeting these demands could exceed GH¢2 billion, questions remain about fiscal sustainability and service quality in the long term.

The renewed hope is that effective policy reforms and strengthened public–private collaborations could eventually relieve the chronic pressures on public hospitals. Meanwhile, patients are advised to remain informed as authorities continue to monitor and address potential service lapses.

The suspension of the strike marks a critical turning point in a healthcare crisis that has rattled Ghana’s public health sector. As nurses resume their roles, all eyes are on future negotiations and the government’s ability to integrate meaningful reforms that will fortify the health system—and secure fair treatment for the nation’s dedicated healthcare workers.