I woke up at 1: 39am Sunday July 3 , bathed, went on my knees and prayed to God. Whiles praying I ask myself, Peggy is gone, who is the next person?
Could it be me?
I don't pay my tithe regularly because I have not been going to church due to formal education or work.
Should this be an excuse every Sunday?
The late Peggy called me some few days before her death. She said "Kofi please help me to get reposting, I am 8 months pregnant and I am so weak. This *national posting* is not good at all. Kofi please help..."
This was beyond me. She was advised to see the Volta Regional Health Director. She did exactly that but when she called me after seeing the director, I felt pain and sadness in her tone. "Kofi, the director didn't agree and has posted me to Volta Regional Hospital..."
I reassured her and encouraged her to accept the posting, but she emphasized that she is so weak and wants to give birth before she starts work. She was asked to go to Volta Regional Health directorate with the husband, along with medical history of her pregnancy so that her financial clearance would be secured to prevent it from expiring.
4 days before the accident she called that she will be going to the region with the medical report within the week and she would get me the feedback.
The feedback Kofi Ghana could get was *Peggy died with the 8 months pregnancy through road accident on her way from Volta Region*
I started asking myself questions I could not answer:
If the posting was train and retain, would Peggy be going to Volta region with her 8 months pregnancy for release and reposting?
If the Regional Director would have released her for reposting, would she be alive with the 8 months pregnancy?
If there was secured accommodation and arrangement for her to give birth before starting work while her financial clearance is covered, would this have happened?
The spoilt vehicle that was killing humans was still on the road 24 hours after Peggy's death, I doubt if it has Been towed as at now. Was this accident not a preventable one? Are the road safety team indeed working?
*The so called National Posting-In the right direction or killer policy ?*
This is not the first accident that newly posted nurse or midwife is involved.
Some nurses who were trained and posted to Northern part of Ghana also had a road accident. By God's grace they are alive now.
*Identified Problem*
Poor staff nurses strength in some region.
Let's admit that this problem identification is accurate disregard to the fact that Greater Accra and Ashanti Region have much population, hence much patients will be recorded.
*Solution*
National Posting
Shaking my head. Is this to ensure Nationalism or to boost the staff strength in the remaining 8 regions, especially the 3 Northern Regions?
*NB* these newly recruited had MOH admission brochure mandating them to serve in the region that trained them after school.
Let's compare the two policies and the way forward
1. Train and retain (Regional Posting)
2. National Posting
*Train and Retain (Regional Posting)*
Our ancestors and previous governments were not that unwise to implement this train and retain.
This policy ensures that you work in the region in which you were trained.
We are in a system that a nurse can work for more than 2 years without salaries and would still be expected to work without any allowances.
We are in a system whereby nurses are not given accommodation to reside at almost all the stations, yet expected to report to work early and provide essential services.
Why not treating them as essential service providers?
Newly posted nurses are sent to stations far from the region that trained them.
How do they get accommodation ?
How would they eat ?
because salary payment in Ghana takes 6months to 2 years and only 3 months arrears are paid, the remaining you have to strike, demonstrate, issue press statement to issue threat of demonstration or strike, or pay bribe. Hmmmmm...
Accommodation and allowances are nicely decorated on papers but are not implemented.
*Advantages*
Hence , this train and retain policy reduces the stress on the nurses. Some stay with their family and go to work till their back pay comes for them to rents an apartment.
Their families leave them some of the family meal to survive on till their salary payment begins.
Communication barrier was less.
*Disadvantage*
Good staff strength in few regions like Greater Accra Region and Ashanti region, but poor staff strength in other 8 regions especially the 3 Northern Regions
*Resolutions*
1. The Government/MOH Institutions Secretariat/NMC/NAB and other stakeholders must halt the mushrooming of nursing schools (especially the private) in the regions that have much of nursing colleges (Greater Accra region and Ashanti region). Expanding, renovating of and supplying enough educational or learning /practical materials to the nursing schools in these 2 regions is the best way to go.
2. More nursing schools should be opened in the regions that have poor staff strength, especially the 3 northern regions. As at 2012, nursing training colleges in these 3 northern were less that 6. About 85% were Health Assistant Schools and Community Nursing Schools. In Volta region about 2 nursing colleges running diploma courses. I just pray and hope this is still not the situation in 2016.
3. People from other regions who are trained in different regions must be traced and posted to their regions to serve the good people there.
4. Incentives must be provided to nurses who serve in these regions with poor staff strength.
5. Politicians must stop promising chiefs of nursing schools. The nursing academy must be regulated independently in reality and not just on paper.
I am not wise that you the policy makers but this is the little knowledge I want you to capture and implement. The system is not favourable for National Posting, the policy is premature.
*National Posting*
This policy just started in 2015/2016.
It allows nurses to be posted nationwide disregard to where you were trained and language/communication barrier.
*Advantages*
1. Boost the staff strength in the regions that have poor staff strength
2. Ensures nationalism
*Disadvantages*
1. Accommodation problem
2. Hunger due to financial constraints
3. Communication barrier
4. _Possible_ road accidents *
5. Change in regional environment poses health threats on some nurses
*Resolutions*
1. Provision of accommodation for all newly posted nurses
2. Payment of salary with all arrears at most within 2 to 3 months. Failure of authorities to perform their duties must not be the reason for delay payment for nurses to suffer
3. Monthly Allowances must be given to these newly recruited nurses to cater for their feeding, transportation to work and utility bills
*NB* Authorities always give excuse that nurses are many, hence is not doable, but they forget that because we are many we contribute much to the Internally Generated Funds that is used to manage the hospitals. Hence they have no excuse to deny us of any incentives base on such reason.
I know the wise policy makers will read this and go back to the table to think deeply and review this national posting. If they can't implement all the resolutions attach to the national postings, then they should #BringBackTrainAndRetainPolicy#
Those of the view that national posting is best, kindly ask the reason why some authorities requested for reposting for their protocols. Is this just an allegation? Smh
Peggy Anita, May your soul and the soul of the 8 months fetus Rest in Perfect Peace.
Tears dropping....
Heart beating faster...
Still in denial stage...
Happy Sunday, though I am mourning
God bless nurses and midwives
God bless Ghana
#Kofi Ghana writes...
#Democracy
Share with others if you are a concerned citizen.
Comments