Uniform allowance for nurses is part of motivational package; there’s justification to demand it – Dr. Sandaare

Vice Chair of the Parliamentary Health Committee, Dr Sebastian Sandaare has said nurses and midwives in Ghana are justified to demand uniform allowance as part of the conditions of service.

Speaking in an interview on TV3’s Hot Issues with Keminni Amanor, Dr. Sandaare explained that the uniform allowance has been added to the conditions of service for nurses to motivate the health workers.

He emphasized that government needs motivated health workers who are in good spirit to be able to serve the country.

“Sometimes is the corporate policy to motivate workers, apart from your salary, this is the extra mile we can go just to motivate the staff. So, I believe it is in that line that government has taken it up.

“When I was working as a medical doctor, over ten years ago, this issue of uniform has been there. It is part of their motivational package and government thinks let’s take it up to motivate them,” he said on Sunday, June 22, 2025.

Dr. Sandaare further expressed his full support for uniform allowance to be given to nurses and midwives

According to him, if such allowance could motivate health workers and prevent them from travelling overseas to offer their services, then he would fully approve it.

“If getting uniforms for our nurses and midwives is one of the things to make them motivated to stay in this country and work, I will go for it.

“There is justification and government is working hard to have a motivated workforce but I will add that whatever is within government’s means to be able to do to make nurses in this country happy so that they don’t go outside this country for it, I am for it and I believe members of the Health Committee will support my opinion,” he added.

Nurses and midwives have resumed work after embarking on a strike over implementation of their conditions of service which was agreed in May 2024.

The strike action hit hard as emergency services were all withdrawn.

After an intervention by the Parliamentary Health Committee, the strike was suspended on June 13, 2025.

“As a result, the GRNMA’s industrial action initiated on 2nd June 2025 is hereby suspended pending the outcome of a follow-up meeting scheduled for 26th June 2025,” the Association said.The meeting with Parliament’s Health Committee on Thursday, June 12, was described as “very fruitful” and set the stage for resolving the impasse.

Source: Raphael Ghartey