Ministry to check bribery in nursing training college admissions
The Ministry of Health has set up an investigation machinery to check bribery and other improprieties that may arise with the introduction of the quota system for nursing training colleges.
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The ministry said it would not entertain the situation where students were enrolled based on payment of bribes.
At a press conference in Cape Coast to explain the rationale behind the introduction of the quota system for the admission of students to the country’s nursing and midwifery colleges, the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, reiterated that neither the reintroduction of the nurses’ allowances nor the picketing at the ministry’s premises by non-posted nurses informed the basis for the quota given to the health training institutions.
He explained that the quota system was a process to balance the category of health personnel in the system and ensure training of critical staff needed for the health sector.
“As a ministry, it is incumbent on us to ensure the availability of all categories of health professionals within our hospitals and the communities in Ghana.
He said over the years, the ministry had undertaken such exercises but not in such a robust and scientifically based manner as was being done this year.
He noted that the concentration had been skewed towards a few auxiliary staff, leaving out other critical health professionals whose work bordered more on the preventive aspect of health delivery in the country.
“It was after this scientific analysis, with the help of an analysis software, that the quota was given to the individual institutions,” he stated.
He noted for example that 8,046 nurse assistant clinicals were admitted in 2016, while only 3,013 preventive nurses were enrolled.
Mr Agyeman-Manu explained that for the purpose of educating communities to reduce the disease burden, less clinical nurses were admitted, while those providing preventive services were increased.
Caution
The minister stressed that any student caught to have had admission upon paying any money would be sacked and the officers who facilitated the practice would be sanctioned appropriately.
He gave instances where in previous years admission forms printed and sold by some of the colleges could not be accounted for, saying such incidents would not be allowed to continue.
Stakeholder collaboration
Mr Agyeman-Manu explained that the ministry collaborated with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and major stakeholders before coming out with the quota system.
He said indicators considered in arriving at the quotas included equity, quality and capacity.
“Each training institution was then looked at vis-à-vis the number of tutors available, the number of classrooms, equipment for clinical practice, courses offered, among other considerations.
Based on yearly analyses and planning, he said, quotas in particular professional course areas may increase or decrease in an attempt to ensure the nation had the requisite skill mix in right numbers of all health professionals in all the hospitals.