Fighting doctor and nurse at Manhyia government hospital back to work

The two health professionals at the centre of the controversy between the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) and the Ashanti regional Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS) are still at post at the Manhyia government hospital.

There were allegations on Wednesday that the nurse, who was verbally abused by Mr Alex Opoku Mensah, has been transferred from the hospital and was receiving some psychological treatment, while the house officer, the daughter of Mr Opoku Mensah, has been asked to stay home.

However, Dr Kamarudeen Korku Hussein, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, told the Ghana News Agency, during a visit to the facility on Thursday morning that, the two staff were still at post.

He said the management gave them some few days to rest, but they were now back at post.

“Yes, the two staff are at post.

“We as management, officially gave them some few days to recover from the stress they are going through

“In fact, both of them are actually under stress and we asked them to rest and receive some form of psychological support and that is what we are providing”, he told the GNA.

Dr Hussein said all the staff were going about their normal duties at the wards and the consulting rooms.

The Ghana News Agency, however, saw that some of the nurses were wearing red arm bands, while some of the gates to the hospital had also been clad in red calico.

Some of the nurses, who spoke to the GNA on condition of anonymity, said they were waiting for a response from the government and would start a strike action as directed by the leadership of the GRNMA.

Meanwhile, the management of the NSS has suspended Mr Opoku Mensah to pave way for investigations into the alleged verbal assault on a nurse on duty at the Manhyia government.

A statement issued by the Scheme and signed by Mr Ambrose Entsiwah Junior, Acting Director of Corporate Affairs, said the decision was taken after an emergency meeting held by the management of the scheme on Wednesday November 30, 2022.

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association had already issued a statement calling on the government and the Public Services Commission to sack of Mr Opoku Mensah as the Ashanti Regional NSS boss within 72 hours.

Mr Opoku Mensah is alleged to have verbally assaulted a nurse on duty at the Manhyia hospital after the nurse had a misunderstanding with a house officer, who happens to be the daughter of Mr Opoku Mensah.

According to the Association, the behavoiur of Mr Opoku Mensah makes him unfit to hold such a position as Director in the public service.

GNA