Scores of patients continue to suffer the brunt of the ongoing nationwide strike by nurses and midwives.

As the industrial action intensifies, the struggle to access healthcare has grown daunting with many of them crying foul for being caught in the crossfire.

Since Monday, patients have been left stranded in hospitals across the country as nurses withdrew their services over benefits such as rent and transportation allowances and poor working conditions.

At the Greater Accra Regional Hospital in Accra, about 700 nursing staff at the facility were absent.

The health professionals said they will only resume after their concerns are addressed by government.

At about 9 am on Tuesday, hundreds who had gathered to receive treatment had not been attended to.

"Maybe I will go home and see a private doctor until we hear the nurses are back. And we also don't know when that will happen," one of them said.

Another told JoyNews that "My case needs immediate attention per what is happening, I cannot be here for the whole day. I don't even think I will see the doctor because the numbers here is quite large."

In the absence of a little over 700 nurses, the 150 remaining doctors have had to develop austerity measures to deal with the growing number of cases.

According to Medical Director of Ridge Hospital, this is unsustainable.

“The kind of system we are running cannot be the way to go, it cannot become the routine, the doctors are being stretched,” Dr Emmanuel Srofenyo said on September 22.

The striking groups include the Ghana Registers Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Ghana Physicians Assistants Association and Ghana Association of Registered Anaesthetists among others.

Dr Srofenyo wants government to pay heed to the request of the nurses and midwives to halt the strike.

“So we are not praying for a similar situation that happened in the past…we don’t want this to drag on for two months, it will really be a huge blow to the health system in this critical moment.”

The Ashanti Region is also bearing the brunt of the development. In Kumasi, some hospitals have closed down their general wards and suspended maternity services due to ongoing strike.

The Suntreso Hospital for instance, has discharged all cases in the ward referring some of them to private institutions.

Medical Superintendent at the facility, Dr. Thomas Agyarko-Poku believes a resolution of the impasse will bring relief to the workers and patients alike.

In the North East, JoyNews Correspondent Eliasu Tanko explained reported that some clinics have been closed as part of adherence to the nationwide action.

However, patients are being turned away from some of the hospitals in the Volta Region. Regional correspondent, Ivy Setordzie reveals that pregnant women are not left out of the group having to suffer the impact of the strike.

Meanwhile, the Employment Ministry is set to meet with GRNMA on Wednesday to continue negotiations on the matter.