Young nurses and midwives have been advised to cultivate leadership qualities and be more professional in the performance of their duties.
The First Vice-President of the GRNMA, Samuel Akologo, observed that the current generation of nurses and midwives in the country were faced with many challenges that demanded resilience, innovation and unity of purpose.
“Leadership is not about holding a title; it is about influence, integrity and the ability to create positive change wherever you are placed,” he added.
Mr Akologo was speaking at the launch of activities in Accra on Tuesday to commemorate this year’s International Youth Day celebrations, on the theme: “Empowering the youth for a sustainable future.”
It also marked the sixth GRNMA Youth Conference aimed at equipping young professionals with leadership skills, mentorship opportunities and advocacy platforms to address challenges such as delayed postings, unpaid salaries and limited professional growth.
It was attended by members across the country who dialogued and shared knowledge in strengthening the health system in the country.
Capacity building
Mr Akologo also urged the young professionals to take training opportunities offered by GRNMA, join committees, and actively participate in national and regional health initiatives.
By doing so, he said, they would not only improve on their professional standing, but also contribute meaningfully to national health delivery.
The vice-president said the nursing and midwifery profession needed leaders who could speak confidently on policy issues to influence reforms in the health sector.
Adaptation
A Lead Consultant at Rovermed Consult, a human capital and organisational development firm, Dr William Okyere-Frempong, said the future of health care in the country depended heavily on the readiness of young professionals and how they adapted to emerging trends such as telemedicine, data-driven care and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
He, therefore, advised the youth to invest in continuous education, technological skills and research capacity to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive health sector.
“The world is moving towards patient-centred, tech-enabled health care.
Those who prepare for it now will shape the system in the years ahead,” he said.
Dr Okyere-Frempong further urged young practitioners to strengthen their networks, both locally and internationally, to gain exposure to best practices.
He also called for a stronger collaboration between training institutions and health facilities to ensure that the skills taught in classrooms matched the realities of the modern healthcare environment.
Employment delays
For her part, the Deputy National Youth Coordinator of the GRNMA, Ms Lauretta Kartey, expressed concern over the persistent delays in employing qualified nurses and midwives, saying the problem was not only affecting livelihoods, but also undermining the ability to deliver adequate health care.
She said graduates from as far back as 2021 were still awaiting posting, while others had been posted but were yet to receive salaries after months of service.
“These delays dampen the morale of our young professionals and put undue pressure on the healthcare system,” Ms Kartey added.
She, therefore, called on the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance to collaborate to fast-track financial clearance and deployment processes.
