SONA 2024: President Silence on Exodus of Nurses Worrying- Dr Sandaare
The Member of Parliament for Daffiama/Bussie/Issa Constituency in Upper West, Dr Sebastian Sandaare has expressed worry about President Akufo Addo silence on the uncontrolled exodus of nurses to work in the health sector and education sectors in Europeans and other western countries.
According to him, the President silence on the matter when he addressed the nation in parliament last week Tuesday, is disheartening on the fact that thousands of trained nurses “still remain in the house having no job to do.”
Dr Sandaare who is a member of the Health Committee of Parliament expressed these concerns in reaction of the 2024 State of the Nation Address (SONA) by the President in Parliament last week Tuesday, February 27.
He said it was expected the president would use the occasion to inform the nation the government policies to arrest the growing worrying situation which could have serious health implication for the country healthcare.
The MP thus called on the government to urgently absorb the teeming unemployed nurses in the country.

In an interview with EXPRESSNEWSGHANA, in parliament, Dr Sandaare explained that the provision of health services was teamwork among nurses, pharmacists, para-medics, doctors, and other professionals, saying without any of them access to healthcare would be compromised.
He emphasised that nursing care remained an essential component of health care service delivery, saying “the doctor cannot work without the nurse, so the nurse cannot work without the doctor.”
The young lawmaker noted that, it was however unfortunate and disheartening that many nurses had been in the house since 2019 without jobs, and appealed to the government to create jobs for them, saying if the situation is not addressed, it would have a dire consequence on the nation as a whole.
“But, I do not blame the nurses who are travelling abroad because they also need to make a living. They must also do something to earn a decent living, so if there is an opportunity they must go”, he said.
The Parliament Health Committee member who is also a Medica Doctor expressed worry about what he described as the “frustrating conditions” in the country’s health sector, saying “the condition is very disturbing that even some doctors that get the opportunity also leave”.
That, notwithstanding, he said there were still many local communities nationwide, which require the services of nurses and other health professionals, and called on the government to provide jobs to the unemployed nurses.
“In fact, these thousands of nurses cannot continue to stay in the home and overburden their parents. They also need to develop themselves and have a decent living. So, if we want the nurses to stay, then the government must give them jobs and improve the conditions of service as well,” Dr. Dr Sandaare added.
He stressed that the government prioritises the provision of accessible and holistic healthcare services to the people of Ghana to end the “brain drain which has hit the health sector.”
Source: expressnewsghana.com
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