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Mrs Samira Bawumia, the Second Lady, on Tuesday announced that government has recruited about 55,000 nurses to demonstrate commitment towards an improved health care system

The Second Lady was the guest speaker at the 17th Biennial National Delegates congress of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association.

The event was held under the theme: “Investing in Nurses and Midwives for better prospects.”

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) is a professional Association for all categories of nurses and midwives with a vision to become frontline health care service providers and excellent team players in the health care continuum.

Dr Kwaku Asante-Krobea, President of the GRNMA, in an address to delegates, said nursing is now directed towards strengthening collaboration with key stakeholders to help deliver the overall vision of achieving universal health coverage and the sustainable development goals.

He said Ghana needed 40,000 nurses and midwives in the next two years to make up for the shortages in the healthcare system

“The Nurse –Patient ratio remains 1 is to 28… and Ghana currently having over 20,000 unemployed nurse and midwives graduates.”

Dr Asante-Krobea said there is the need to address the expansion of nursing and midwifery knowledge and teach students the complexity and challenges of managing patient population.

“This calls for pragmatic investment in the nursing and midwifery workforce and procurement of a positive practice environment,” he said

He called on government to take advantage of year 2020, which has been declared as the Nurses and Midwife year by the World Health Organization, to strengthen their resolve to prioritize healthcare and see it as an investment rather than cost.

Nurses play a critical role in health promotion, disease prevention and delivering primary and community care, Dr Asante-Krobea added.

The five-day Biennial National Delegates Congress of the GRNMA would elect new National executives for the Association.