Parliament Health Committee Calls For Enhanced Security For Health Workers
The Health Committee in Parliament is demanding improved security for health workers at their duty posts especially those in deprived communities.
The call comes on the back of the gruesome murder of Ms. Ruth Ama Eshun, a Community Health Nurse stationed at Sewua Health Centre in the Bosomtwi District of the Ashanti Region on Monday 3rd February 2020.
Reading a statement on the floor of the house on the unfortunate incident, chairman of the Committee and MP for Berekum East, Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah condemned the incident and charged the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators for prosecution.
He said “one of the main challenges the country faces in her quest to achieve Universal Health Coverage has been the difficulty in getting qualified health workers to accept postings to deprived areas where their services are badly needed. As such, for a person who decided to work in a deprived area to suffer this ordeal will obviously worsen this challenge”.
Hon Dr. Nuamah said the only way the state can assuage the fears of the health workers and even prospective ones that their security is a concern to it, is for the perpetrators of this heinous crime to be apprehended quickly and made to face the full force of the law.
“Furthermore, adequate security arrangements especially for those who work in deprived areas must be spelt out” he added.
The Committee Chair further appealed to the Speaker to invite the Minister for Interior to brief the house on security arrangements being made to protect health workers at their duty posts especially for those in deprived communities.
The Committee also expressed its commiserations to the victim’s family especially her husband and three kids as well as the nursing fraternity.
Read Below Statement
STATEMENT BY HON. DR. KWABENA TWUM-NUAMAH, MP FOR BEREKUM EAST AND CHAIRMAN OF THE HEALTH COMMITTEE ON THE GRUESOME MURDER OF MADAM RUTH ESHUN
Mr. Speaker, Monday 3rd February 2020 has become a “Black Day” for the health sector of this country because that day witnessed the gruesome murder of Ms. Ruth Ama Eshun, a Community Health Nurse stationed at Sewua Health Centre in the Bosomtwi District of the Ashanti Region.
Mr. Speaker, what makes it much more painful is the fact that this hardworking nurse met her untimely death while returning from work at her duty post.
Mr. Speaker, clearly, the hearts of her colleagues at Sewua Health Centre, her compatriots at Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, staff of Ghana Health Service, staff of the Ministry of Health and the entire nation are heartbroken following her murder.
Mr. Speaker, one of the main challenges the country faces in her quest to achieve Universal Health Coverage has been the difficulty in getting qualified health workers to accept postings to deprived areas where their services are badly needed. As such, for a person who decided to work in a deprived area to suffer this ordeal will obviously worsen this challenge.
Mr. Speaker, the only way the state can assuage the fears of the health workers and even prospective ones that their security is a concern to it, is for the perpetrators of this heinous crime to be apprehended quickly and made to face the full force of the law. Furthermore, adequate security arrangements especially for those who work in deprived areas must be spelt out.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of your committee on Health, I wish to crave your indulgence to invite the Minister for Interior to brief this house on security arrangements being made to protect health workers at their duty posts especially for those in deprived communities like our late colleague. The Committee also calls on the Inspector General of Police to use all available means to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to book within the shortest possible time. These arrangements will go a long way to boost the morale of health workers in Ghana, which as of now has been affected immensely.
The committee also calls on the chiefs and people of the community where our late colleague worked to volunteer vital information to assist the Police in their investigations.
Mr. Speaker, just as the blood of Abel cried for justice from the Almighty God after he was murdered by his brother Cain, so is the blood of our departed colleague crying for justice from her country Ghana. The State should not fail her.
Mr. Speaker, your committee expresses our deepest condolences to the family of the late Ruth Ama Eshun, especially her husband and three kids.
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