Members of the National Health Students Association of Ghana (NAHSAG) say they are withdrawing their services nationwide from next week over unpaid allowances.

The 2021 September and December batches of health interns which include student nurses and midwives say they have not been paid their monthly allowance of 800 Ghana Cedis for the past 10 months.

The Association is by a press release advising members to vacate their posts effective June 27, if payment is not realised in the next five days.

National President, Faustina Aikins says the interns have endured hardship in the past months due to rising cost of living.

“For close to 10 months now, the interns have not been paid a month allowance. The prices of goods, transport and everything are going up and they’re not receiving anything from government. We don’t have money to go to the field, to buy food, and even pay for rent. 

“So the best way after our press conference is to allow the interns stay home since the monies expected to be paid by the government have not been duly fulfilled. We can’t afford to be going to work without any allowance. 

“Currently, those who have not been paid are over 50,000,” she said.

She added that attempts to get the Ministry of Health to address their grievances have proved futile. 

“Anytime we write to them, one thing that runs through is that if we always disturb them for allowances then we will be moved to the National Service Scheme. 

“For us all we need is getting the allowance on time. It will help us. The ministry didn’t give any tangible reason why they’re saying they want to move us to the NSS. Even those under the NSS are complaining. All we need is the allowances.

“We always know that with the health interns allowance is normally delayed but with this one it has really gone far,” she said.

Find the official communique of the national student association below;