Madam Leticia Asaba Atia a Registered midwife, has bemoaned the inadequate pay Ghanaian midwives and nurses receive for their work.
She claimed that despite the restrictions Ghana was subject to from the UK, midwives and nurses were still in demand there and would continue to leave the country in search of better employment opportunities.
No midwife plans to travel abroad, she said on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm’s Frontline, but the unfavorable working conditions here are a factor.
“We will continue to work in Ghana if they give us better working conditions. However, if things don’t change, we’ll keep going abroad in search of better opportunities.
“Sometimes, it’s not just about the money, but where you work,” she continued. The provision of high-quality healthcare is hampered by some facilities’ lack of basic medical equipment.
So why wouldn’t I move to the UK if I had the chance to work as a baby nurse there and earn more money than I do as a midwife in Ghana?
“The service is provided in poor conditions. Our nurses and midwives won’t travel if the conditions are favorable for patient care.
She responded positively when asked if midwives were leaving Ghana.
She claimed that their pay is below GH2,000 and that even those who make more than GH2,000 are not paid up to GH3,000.
“The monthly salary of a midwife ranges from GHC 1,500 to GHC 1,800. It falls short of GH 2,000. In order to make ends meet, some people work in both public and private hospitals. I had the chance to travel internationally, but I declined because of my advanced age. I would have left the country in search of better opportunities if I had been younger.
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