“Your skin like dawn Mine like musk. One paints the beginning of a certain end. The other, the end of a sure beginning.” – Maya Angelou
Looking for the historical fiction of title “Nightingale Ladies” or “Nightingale Girls”? Looking for the girls: Dora Doyle, Helen Tremayne or Lady Amelia Charlotte Benedict Millie?
Enchanted by the story of them in training during 1936 (Second World War) when England was still mourning the death of King George VI, Dora was driven by ambition and was desperate to escape her squalid overcrowded home in London’s East End and her abusive stepfather. Helen was quiet unamused by fun gossip and limelight with an overbearing mother. Millie aka Lady Camilla – was an aristocrat who was an escapee from her conventional upper class life.
Coming home, far from Thomas Hardy’s “madding crowd”, is the surprise twist to the nurses’ and midwives’ pledge, which led them to a 12-day stay away from work.
The “Practical Nurse Pledge” otherwise known as Nightingale pledge, a modification of the Doctor’s Hypoccratic Oath. “Before God and those assembled here, I solemnly pledge To adhere to the code of ethics of the nursing profession; to cooperate faithfully with the other members of the nursing team and to carry out faithfully and to the best of my ability, the instructions of the physician or the nurse who may be assigned to supervise my work; I will not do anything evil or malicious and I will not knowingly give any harmful drug or assist in malpractice.
I will not reveal any confidential information that may come to my knowledge in the course of my work. And I pledge myself to do all in my power to raise the standards and prestige of the practical nursing; May my life be devoted to service and to the high ideals of the nursing profession”.
Without Florence Nightingale (mother of nursing, queen of nursing, first lady of nursing, founder of modern nursing, the Lady with the Lamp) we would not have had nursing as we have it today.
Born on the 12th day of May, 1820 in Florence Italy to William Nightingale and Frances Nightingale, She became a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War (the Russian Empire against the Ottoman Empire, French Empire, the United Kingdom, Kingdom of Sardinia – Piedmont from October 1853 to February 1856). She took great care of the wounded soldiers of the Allied forces in Constantinople and ensured the improvement of hygiene and living standards. She was “married” to her profession, and refused her parents’ wish to marry and raise a family. Florence ensured that the places she called “hospital” were kept neat and rid of rats; a laundry service was provided for the washing of the inmates’ clothes and blood soaked bedsheets. Aim – to improve the living conditions of the British forces – patriotism, dedication, love for country.
At night, she would walk among the beds holding a lamp to check the condition of the wounded soldiers. She died childless from heart attack at the age of 90 at St. Thomas Hospital, London on 13th August, 1910 giving greater meaning to the Latin word “hospes” signifying “guest” or “stranger” (with “hospitum” signifying “hospitality”, “hospitable”).
What were the cause (s) of the Ghanaian Nurses strike? The demands: Book and Research Allowance; Uniform allowance; Fuel allowance; On-call facilitation allowance; Rural incentive Allowance; 13th-month salary Allowance; Continuous Professional Development Allowance. You remember the regime in which car owners were enjoined to give nurses free rides?
As the events unfolded, the National Labour Commission (NLC) secured an injunction from an Accra High Court declaring the strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) illegal and ordering the nurses to return to work immediately. The nurses and midwives stood their ground waiting their pound of flesh and insisting on the implementation of the 2024 Collective Agreement signed in May, 2024.
The Akufo-Addo government could not implement it, and the nurses were patient with NPP; a new government (NDC) has come to power, and for only 6 months, there is no patience from nurses. The nurses rightly rely on Article 35 (7) of the 1992 Constitution. “As far as practicable, a government shall continue and execute projects and programmes commenced by the previous Government”.
There were appeals upon appeals from government and other non-governmental institutions to urge the GRNMA to resume work. The Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Stakeholder Commission (FWSC), Dr. George Smith-Graham noted; “We have started engaging; it’s not difficult.
The most important thing is for them (GRNMA) to call off the strike. We have appealed to them and once they do that, we will continue with our engagement.” Under Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, President of GRNMA, they had originally planned a strike action in April, 2024. They were worried about the salary of GH¢3,000.00 per month were urged “not (to) succumb to any form of intimidation or threats”.
MP for Juabeso and Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh had appealed to the nurses to call off the strike; then talked tough:
“Given the urgency of the situation and the suffering of patients, the government is appealing to retired nurses and midwives to volunteer their services for a brief period, pending the resolution of the impasse.”
At Citi TV, the Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Richard Ahiagbah would not spare the Minister of Health: “Honourable Kwabena Mintah, the Minister of Health must go. They found all the fiscal space to allocate GH¢2.7 billion for compensation at the Jubilee House, but didn’t prioritise the health of Ghanaians… That kind of hardball he was playing with people’s health was repugnant. People died because of his negligence, for that reason he must be gone…” Was Richard Ahiagbah talking as a “concerned” citizen or as a “politician” who would take advantage of a crisis to foment more crisis?
What do we make of the statement by the Minister of Health? “Government wishes to stress its readiness to further engage with the view to implementing the conditions of service in a manner that does not dislocate the national economy – we are mindful of the economic consequences of unbudgeted expenditure and want to avoid the economic slippages that led to instability in the recent past?”
Comes in the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Dr. Ayew Afriyie noted: “It is just the posturing … We were seeking the cooperation of the nurses … It is not like anything they are asking for is new… So we told them some first principles — that you are right … Can we give an opportunity for two weeks so that we can pursue the concerns through a legislative angle …” Dr. Ayew Afriyie opined that: “There are two parties to blame for the standoff. First, the nurses themselves; their associations were divided; second—the nurses don’t see a change in government as a reason for delay …”
Who wouldn’t go on strike over pay? The CEO of a public institution takes home between GH¢80,000 and GH¢100,000 and the corruption infested institution, the National Service Authority head can have GH¢8 million in his e-zwitch account and his deputy scheme; through “ghost names” to allegedly steal a whopping GH¢548m.
