The Ghana Association of Degree Rotational Nurses has called on the government to review its national service allowance to include risk allowance as is done for diploma rotation nurses.
In a press release signed by the National President of Ghana Association of Degree Rotational Nurses, Caesar Kaba Kogoziga lamented that their members with the same job description as diploma nurse have been deprived risk allowances due to a claim that they operate “under the Ministry of Education and not Ministry of Health”.
Also, the Association entreated the government to make a regular supply of PPE as well as “an enhanced package for frontline workers, including eligibility to receive benefits provided to front line health workers as announced by the government.”
Despite these demands, the association has assured of its members’ readiness to risk their lives to help fight COVID-19 with compensation from the state.
Hence, the association is seeking clarification from the Ministry of Health and National Service Scheme with the former calling them to work and the latter instructing them to be on leave.
“A letter from NSS dated 24th March directing all newly posted nurses and midwives who are due to start national service in April 2020 to take the month of April as their terminal leave, as done for all national service personnel and NABCO personnel due to COVID-19. Contrary to this directive, we received another letter signed to commence the 2020/20221 national service should report to their various posting centres to commence their service as required,” it added.
Below is the full release
PETITION FOR ENHANCED CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AS WE FIGHT COVID19 IN GHANA.
In as much as we appreciate these extraordinary times and the fact that our nation needs us in fighting COVID-19, we want to remind the Ministry of Health of its long-standing refusal to grant degree rotation nurse any risk allowance as done for diploma rotation nurses who have a similar job description. The claim that degree nursing students are under the Ministry of Education and not the Ministry of Health, and hence the lower rotation allowance given them is highly unacceptable and unfair. We are also unsure whether to follow the directives of the Ministry of Health or NSS.
After fulfilling Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requirements, we the 2020/2021 Degree Rotation Nurses were posted by the National Service Secretariat (NSS) for National service in March 2020. However, a letter from NSS dated 24th March 2020 directed all newly posted nurses and midwives who are due to start national service in April 2020 to take the month of April as their terminal leave, as done for all national service and NABCO personnel due to Covid-19. Contrary to this directive, we received another letter signed by the Minister of Health; directing that ‘Nurses and Midwives who are due to commence the 2020/2021 national service should report to their various posting centers to commence their service as required. ‘
We hereby assure the Ministry of Health, the President of the Republic and the general public that we are ready to risk our lives to help fight Covid-19. However, taking cognizance of the global situation of the conditions of service for frontline health workers and the potency of Covid-19, we humbly make the following demands from the Government of Ghana before our engagement:
a. An Enhanced package as frontline workers, including eligibility to receive benefits provided to front line health workers as announced by the government.
b. A review of the National service allowance for degree nurses to include risk allowance, as done for diploma nurses during rotation. As stated in the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association Press release, dated 13th December 2019.
c. Assurance of regular supply of PPEs for our protection.
Until this petition receives a favourable response from government, we shall not expose ourselves to the risk of fighting Covid-19 without any compensation from the state. We are however ready to engage in negotiations towards better conditions of service.
Kind Regards,
Signed
Caesar Kaba Kogoziga
National President