Pregnancy Rate Soars Among Nurses

The Northern Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has complained about the high rate of pregnancy among graduating nursing students in the region. It said the phenomenon made the pregnant nurses, who were due for posting for a year’s probation, to request for maternity leave, which is contrary to the regulations of the GHS.

It argued that if the nurses do not serve their probation “how would they be assessed to qualify for a substantive appointment.” Dr. Jacob Mahama, Deputy Northern Regional Director in-charge of Public Health of the GHS, expressed the sentiments at the second graduation of the Tamale Community Health Nurses’ Training School in Tamale over the weekend. In all, 112 students, comprising 16 males, graduated after a two-year period of study and were presented with certificates in community nursing. Dr. Mahama said out of a total of 240 nurses, who were posted two weeks ago to serve their probation at various health institutions across the region, about 170 of them were pregnant. He, therefore, warned that the Regional Health Directorate would no longer post pregnant nurses for probation. “First year nurses will not be granted leave, you will be required to go to deliver the baby before you are posted,” he stated. Dr. Mahama congratulated the graduates for successfully completing their studies and asked them to accept postings to deprived communities, where their services were mostly needed. Madam Comfort Kona, Acting Principal of the Tamale Community Health Nurses’ Training School entreated the graduates to let the discipline and the good training received reflect in their output wherever they would find themselves. Madam Kona tasked them to act as agents of change to help redeem the good image of the nursing profession.

Source: GNA