The Ear, Nose and Throat Nurses Society, Ghana (ENT) has called for the inclusion of its members in the government's free primary healthcare policy.
That, according to the society, would make it possible for the members to enjoy the full benefits of the policy.
The society’s members have the clinical expertise to handle medical cases involving the ear, nose and the throat.
The National Chairperson of the society, Esther Osei Birikorang, made the call at the society's 12th annual conference and scientific session held in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital yesterday, October 14, 2026.
The four-day gathering, on the theme: "Breaking Barriers, Building Systems: Advancing Primary Ear and Hearing Care for all in Ghana", brought together ENT nurses across the country and other health professionals.
Policy gaps
The conference was to showcase vital research, examine policy gaps and explore innovation in primary care delivery as well as creating a platform for learning, sharing best practices, networking and shaping actionable strategies.
Participants in a conference in Koforidua
Mrs Birikorang wondered why ENT nurses had been exempted from the free primary healthcare policy, although such nurses had been playing a vital role in ENT cases.
She indicated that across the country, millions of adults and children had been living with unaddressed hearing loss, chronic otitis media and other preventable ENT conditions.
The society’s chairperson stated that most often such conditions had been undetected leading to social isolation, academic difficulty, especially for children, reduced economic productivity and an overall decline in quality of life.
She said it had become necessary to remove the barrier of stigmatisation and misconception due to lack of education which had led to many individuals with ENT issues to seek care either too late or not at all.
According to Mrs Birikorang, essential ear and hearing services were often concentrated in major urban hospitals, leaving rural and underserved communities without timely care.
That, Mrs Birikorang said, had led to managing ear problems locally, causing hearing problems.
Apart from that she stated that shortages of equipment, screening tools and specialised workforce training had slowed progress in the treatment of ENT cases, adding that ENT nurses continued to encounter such barriers daily.
Assurance
In his keynote address, the Head of Medical and Dental Programme at the Technical Coordination Directorate of the Ministry of Health, Dr Ernest Konadu Ayisi Asiedu, gave the assurance that ENT issues would take center stage of the ministry.
He therefore urged members of the society to work closely with the committee responsible for the guidelines of the free primary healthcare policy.
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