The Nurses and Midwives Association (NMA) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike next week Monday if government refuses to address its concerns.

PRO of Greater Accra wing of NMA, Douglas Adu-Fokuo said the Association had hoped government would redeem its promises of paying their arrears but they have now lost all hope.

“The Association believes in jaw-jaw but from next week if government fails to address the concerns we are going to embark on an industrial action and nobody would go to the hospitals,” he said.

The Ghana Registered Nurses Association are dissatisfied over what it described as the poor working conditions its members work in.

The health workers have been demanding a resolution to a number of challenges they are constantly confronted with in the line of duty.

The issues include unpaid allowances, salary arrears, personnel promotion and unsafe working conditions at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.

The Accra Psychiatric nurses declared an indefinite strike last week but Joy News has learned they have called off the mass action on Monday.

Some patients who showed up at the Princess Marie Louise Hospital were denied treatment following an order by the mother body of the Association.

Joy News’ Derrick Ekow Sam who visited the Hospital said some mothers who had brought their children to the hospital were anxious and disappointed.

‘I received a call yesterday that my son was experiencing some sickness but when I brought him to the hospital they say the nurses are on a strike,’ she lamented.

 ‘I don’t have any money on me to take him to another hospital. I have just been crying,’ she added.

The strike action is expected to affect all the various government hospitals in the country.

Mr Adu-Fokuo said Ghanaians have to brace up for next week when the nurses will completely stay out of work.

He said the action would affect all Out Patient Departments (OPD) considered one of the important aspects of hospital administration.

Services likely to be affected include pediatric and adult chest, heart, gastro-hepatic, neurological and endocrinology, mental health issues and eye services.

Although he admitted their action would affect some patients who are desperate for treatment, Mr Adu-Fokuo said it is necessary to compel government to act on its promises.