The Ashanti regional director of the National Service Scheme (NSS) Alex Opoku-Mensah has been condemned by a section of Ghanaians, especially social media users over an alleged verbal abuse of a nurse attached to the Manhyia district hospital in Kumasi.
Opoku-Mensah was recorded after he waded into a misunderstanding that ensued between a female nurse and a doctor identified as his daughter.
Asaaseradio.com can confirm that the traumatised nurse and doctor have been withdrawn to be given psychological support.
There are growing calls on the NSS management to fire Opoku-Mensah for using unprintable words on the nurse at the Manhyia district hospital.
A pound of flesh
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has issued a statement calling for the head of Opoku-Mensah over the issue.
“The public service commission and government for that matter should sack the said regional director immediately because he is not fit for the director position he holds in the public service,” the GRNMA statement said.
The association has therefore given the government 72 hours ultimatum to sack Opoku-Mensah, “or all nurses and midwives at the Manhyia hospital will lay down their tools to be followed by the whole of Ashanti, and then it will be escalated to the whole nation.”
According to the GRNMA, nurses in the facility will embark on a strike if the government does not sack Opoku-Mensah from his position.
Apology
Opoku-Mensah has since apologised in a Facebook post.
“I understand the disappointment and appreciate the inconvenience my action has caused the general public as well as the nursing fraternity and Manhyia Hospital,” the apology read.
“This has never been my style but for a genuine reason to mediate a persistent issue between my daughter (doctor) and a colleague nurse who I as well consider my daughter.
“I do apologise for any mishap and assure all, there shall not be a repetition of such. I look forward to maintaining a cordial relationship between any affected person,” the statement added.
Official probe
The management of the National Service Scheme has summoned the embattled regional boss for questioning, an official statement confirmed on Tuesday (29 November).
“Management has, since the development, invited the officer for preliminary investigations into the incident,” the statement said.
Junior doctors react
Below is a statement from the Junior Doctors’ Association of Ghana saying that the allegation of wrong prescription given by their colleague in connection with the issue is false.
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