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Minister of Health Kwaku Agyemang-Manu has asked the agitated nurses of Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital to give him three months to investigate allegations levelled against the medical director at the facility, Dr Eugene Dordoye.

The staff including nurses and casual workers at Ankaful accused Dr Dordoye of gross disrespect exhibited towards workers as well as mismanagement of the hospital's funds.

They want Dr Dordoye removed from post as soon as practicable. This culminated in their sit down strike last week which has affected healthcare delivery at the facility.

However, after a meeting with leadership of the workers for over three hours on Tuesday, 28 November 2017, the minister appealed to them to exercise patience while his office looks into the issues before deciding the fate of Dr Dordoye.

President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Kwaku Asante Krobea addressing the angry nurses after his meeting with the minister asked that the nurses wait patiently for the three months, for their concerns to be addressed.

He said: “The minister intentionally and strategically is buying time because if it is about the administration of the place, it is not only the interest of nurses that is at stake because there are other staffs also. So the minister will strategically buy time and meet all of them but I‘ve told him as for nurses, we are in the greatest number [that is] 65 to 70 per cent of people working in that hospital are nurses so he must listen to us more and he has accepted it. So let us listen to his words, let tensions calm down. Count on me to lead you in this battle to win it. The minister may wish to listen to them [other hospital staff] also. The minister has given a timeline of three months [to settle the matter]”.

Mr Krobea, to allay the fears of victimisation against the nurses during the three months waiting period said “Dr Dordoye cannot intimidate anybody, if he does so within this period, he has worsened his case.”

The staff were however not happy with the three months period and said they would decide the way forward after they meet.