Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1990, published 77th ILC session (1990)

Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Ghana (Ratification: 1986)

The Committee has taken note of the Government's first report and would appreciate further information on the following points:

Article 1, paragraph 2, of the Convention. The Committee notes that the information supplied by the Government refers to nursing personnel in the public sector. Bearing in mind that the Convention covers "all nursing personnel wherever they work", please specify in what manner and under what legal or conventional provisions the Convention in applied in the private sector. Please provide a copy of these provisions and the text of the Nurses Ordinance (Cap. 71).

Article 2, paragraph 1. Please indicate whether measures have been taken in practice with a view to drawing up and implementing a policy on nursing services and personnel within the framework of a general health programme to improve nursing care both as to quantity and quality and to raise the standard of health among the population.

Article 2, paragraph 2(b). Please indicate whether measures have been taken in conformity with the above-mentioned provision of the Convention to provide nursing personnel in both the public and the private sectors with employment and working conditions including career prospects and remuneration likely to attract persons to the profession and retain them in it. Please specify in particular the measures taken to ensure that the classification of nursing personnel for remuneration purposes corresponds to that of worker categories whose work while of a different nature in practice is of equal value.

Article 2, paragraphs 3 and 4. Please indicate whether there are trade union organisations for nursing personnel in the public and private sectors and if so specify: (a) whether these organisations are consulted when the national policy concerning nursing services and personnel is being formulated; and (b) how is this policy co-ordinated with policies relating to other aspects of health care and to other workers in the field of health.

Article 5, paragraph 1. Please indicate whether nursing personnel both in the public and the private sector can participate in the planning of nursing services and whether they are consulted on decisions concerning them in the hospital establishments where they work.

Article 5, paragraph 2. Please indicate whether there are collective agreements which determine conditions of employment and work for nursing personnel and if so please supply a copy.

Article 5, paragraph 3. The Government indicates in its report that there is no procedure for the settlement of disputes arising in connection with the determination of working conditions for nursing personnel in the public sector and it adds that the Civil Servants' Association of Ghana represents the interests of nursing personnel in such cases. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide more comprehensive information on the bargaining machinery for public servants to which it refers and to indicate also whether the procedure for settling disputes provided for in the Labour Decree of 1967, amended in 1969, applies also to nursing personnel in the private sector.

Article 6. The Government indicates in its report that nursing personnel in the public sector enjoys the same working conditions as other public servants. Please specify the regulations which apply in respect of (a) hours of work; (b) weekly rest; (c) paid annual holidays; (d) educational leave; (e) maternity leave; (f) sick leave; (g) social security; and provide a copy of the appropriate texts. Please indicate also whether the provisions of the Labour Decree of 1967, amended in 1969, which regulates the above matters, apply also to nursing personnel in the private sector and if this personnel is covered by the social security scheme laid down by Act No. 279 of 1965.

Article 7. Please indicate whether measures have been taken apart from those contained in the Code of Practice on protection against radiation with a view to improving existing laws and regulations on occupational health and safety by adapting them to the special nature of nursing work and of the environment in which it is carried out.

Point V of the report form. Please supply information on the application of the Convention in practice and state the number of persons working in the nursing profession in the public and private sectors as well as their relation to the population of the country and the other workers in the field of health.