The Out-Patients Department (OPD), and maternity unit of the Tema General Hospital was on Tuesday, deserted as members of the Ghana Registered Nurses Midwives Association’s (GRNMA) strike entered day two.

The OPD, which used to be a hive of activities, had only a handful of diabetic patients who were being attended to by specialists.

The designed area for nurses at the OPD often used to check the biodata of patients before assigning them to doctors was empty.

At the maternity and gynae unit, the gate was closed with one security guard positioned there, the post-delivery ward, and the antenatal areas were all empty.

The GNA however observed that the Ekua Esarwa Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (N.I.C.U) Ward was working as doctors were attending to patients, and multitasking to fill the void created by the striking  nurses.

A new mother who together with others were at the hospital for postnatal review told the GNA that she had no choice but to return home until the nurses and midwives resumed work.

Another mother said her two and a half-year-old child who received medical care last week for boils was supposed to come for review but there was no nurse to attend to them.

A relative of a 54-year-old very sick man said they had to return to the hospital on Tuesday to try their luck as they could not get medical care on Monday due to the strike.

The situation was not different from the Tema Manhean Clinic where the maternity unit and OPD were also empty.

Most of the patients resorted to the Navy Command Clinic situated in Tema Newtown.

The TMA Maternity and Child clinic was also empty with no nurse or midwife in sight. A similar observation was made at the Sakumono maternity clinic and the Tema Polyclinic where about 10 patients were seen with their folders awaiting with faith to see a doctor.

Information gathered from the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate indicated that the GRNMA members working there reported in mufti instead of their usual uniform.

The GNA has gathered to ensure that all nurses and midwives joined in the strike, a task force had been formed to visit the facilities to enforce the industrial action.