Doctors at Ridge Hospital 'are overburdened' as nurses strike bites – Medical Director

Dr. Leslie Issah Adam-Zakaria is the Medical Director of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. He spoke about the impact of the nurses' strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).

The hospital has been severely affected by this strike. Many key departments are without nurses. Dr. Adam-Zakaria noted that most nurses belong to GRNMA, which is currently on strike.

He explained that there are no nurses in various outpatient departments (OPDs). The emergency unit lacks staff to receive new patients. The theatres for emergency procedures also have no nurses available.

Additionally, antenatal clinics and labor wards are without midwives and nurses. This situation has forced doctors to take on extra responsibilities.

Doctors now perform tasks usually done by nurses. Dr. Adam-Zakaria said rotation nurses cannot work unsupervised during this time. They are uncomfortable working alone since their supervisors are on strike.

This has put a strain on hospital operations, and he hopes for improvement soon. Despite these challenges, there have been no major security incidents reported.

Dr. Adam-Zakaria mentioned that a police post is nearby for assistance if needed. In the labor ward, doctors are currently receiving patients instead of midwives.

They assess each patient's condition and determine if urgent care is necessary. He acknowledged that this situation has left doctors overstretched.

The presence of other union nurses is minimal, making it harder to manage the workload effectively.