A coalition of professional nursing and midwifery associations has publicly dissociated itself from the ongoing industrial action led by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), calling on the Association to reconsider its stance and return to the consensus reached by the collective unions.

The splinter group—comprising the Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives, Ghana (UPNMG), the Professional Association of Psychiatric Nurses Ghana (PAPNG), the National Association of Registered Midwives, Ghana (NARM-GH), and the Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA)—expressed disappointment over what they described as a unilateral move by GRNMA to proceed with strike action.

In a statement released following the GRNMA’s declaration of a nationwide strike effective June 2, 2025, the group noted that at a joint union meeting held on May 27, 2025, all parties unanimously agreed to hold off any industrial action pending further internal consultations and a scheduled meeting with the Minister of Finance.

“It was agreed that no industrial action would be taken until each union had engaged its leadership and members to assess the roadmap for implementing the Collective Agreement on the new Conditions of Service,” the statement read.

According to the coalition, the decision by GRNMA to break from that collective understanding undermines the unity of the profession and compromises ongoing dialogue with government stakeholders.

The coalition emphasized that it is not part of the GRNMA’s industrial action, and it has instructed all its members to remain at post and continue rendering essential health services to the public.

“We urge all our members to continue delivering quality healthcare while leadership remains engaged in negotiations to ensure that the needs and welfare of all nurses and midwives are addressed in a sustainable manner,” the group said.

Background and Fallout

The GRNMA declared a nationwide strike on May 28, 2025, citing government’s failure to implement the new Conditions of Service agreed in 2024. As of June 9, 2025, the strike escalated to include the withdrawal of all nursing and midwifery services, including emergency care—leaving many hospitals across the country overwhelmed.

Despite an injunction from the National Labour Commission directing a return to work, the strike continues, with the GRNMA remaining resolute in its demands.

This new development highlights divisions within the nursing and midwifery profession, raising questions about representation and strategy as the health sector grapples with one of its most severe service disruptions in recent history.