Programmes Manager for Briphildon Foundation demands payment for unpaid rotation nurses
Derrick Ofori, Programmes Manager of the Briphildon Foundation, has raised serious concerns about the prolonged delay in salary payments for rotation nurses across the country. In a statement, he described the situation as “heartbreaking” and unfair to the very people who dedicate their lives to safeguarding public health.
According to Mr. Ofori, the rotation for the most recent batch of nurses officially ended in May this year. By established procedure, clearance for their posting and remuneration should have been issued by August, paving the way for timely payments. However, he lamented that “we are now in October, and no clearance has been issued for payment to be made.”
The Programmes Manager stressed that the situation has left the just-ended rotation nurses uncertain about their future. “They are left wondering if this government truly intends to pay them, or if their labor is going to be in vain,” he noted. “This situation is heartbreaking, especially when nurses who were posted as far back as last year have gone almost 10 months without receiving any salary.”
Mr. Ofori pointed out that the persistent delays not only undermine the morale of the health workforce but also threaten the healthcare delivery system itself, as many nurses continue to work under extremely difficult conditions with little to no financial support. He argued that such treatment amounts to playing politics with the welfare of critical health professionals.
“This reality makes it difficult to believe that the rotation nurses will ever be paid. Nurses sacrifice their strength and time to serve this country, and it is deeply unfair to play politics with their welfare. Nurses deserve better,” he said.
Mr. Ofori reiterated his commitment to amplifying the voices of marginalized professionals, including nurses, whose contributions are often overlooked despite their crucial role in national development.
He called on government, particularly the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF), to prioritize the prompt clearance and payment of allowances due to the nurses. He further urged MoH to put in place sustainable structures that ensure such delays do not become a recurring burden on the country’s health workforce.
“Nurses form the backbone of our health sector. To deny them their due wages is to undermine the very foundation of healthcare delivery. If we cannot take care of those who care for us, then our healthcare system will remain fragile,” he further stated.
