Adom FM's 'fight' pays off: Health training school heads suspended

Health Minister Alex Segbefia

After a spirited fight by Adom FM's Dwaso Nsem morning show against the charging of exorbitant and unapproved fees by some heads of Nursing and Midwifery Training Colleges, the Ministry of Health has suspended three of such heads and dissolved the board of another.

The station had been inundated with cries from parents and students upset by an astronomical hike in fees for both fresh and continuing students, in some cases from an expected Ghs1,100 to Ghs 5,000.

Some charged items such as General Maintenance, Library Maintenance, Computer Maintenance, Plant, Fuel for the Plant that had not been bought, and other unapproved charges.

The Health Ministry, unhappy with the development, has taken action.

Addressing a press conference Wednesday, Health Minister Alex Segbefia announced that heads of the Mampong Nursing and Midwifery College, Cape Coast Nursing and Midwifery Training College and School dispensary Optics have all been directed to step aside while investigations into allegations of extortion from students begin.

“This practice has escalated to the extent that some schools are adding extra items as additional levies for the academic year, e.g. cement, electronic system fees, stationary among others. We are unhappy about this practice because the exorbitant nature of such fees is defeating the purpose of getting those genuinely interested in providing healthcare into the institutions as against those who can afford it. This will ultimately result in the production of professionals whose dedication to duty will be in question.”

According to the Minister, “We have also learnt that some of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), schools are charging an extra amount of Ghc500 as logistic support which is unacceptable. We ask that such monies should be refunded to the students with immediate effect. In view of these, the heads of the above institutions are to step aside for further investigations into this scandal.”

The Minister noted that, all other training institutions are being monitored and further actions may be taken regarding other schools. “The Ministry of Health will not tolerate any institution under its mandate disregarding laid down policies and procedures.”

On the matter of school fees, heads and school managements have been asked to take note of the following; “Only the approved fees from the Ministry of Health as agreed on with Conference of Heads Health Training Institutions (COHHETI) should be charged. For the avoidance of doubt, approved fees for the 2016/2017 academic year, is Ghc1,400 without the above mentioned items.

“However, only schools that opted for the Cafeteria Services can charge additional Ghc600 for feeding as agreed by COHHETI. Fees for additional items such such as feeding fees, books, accommodation, uniforms, sports kits, etc; should be considered as optional, and should not be made compulsory for students.”

It added that, “where there is the need to charge for additional fees as indicated above, approval should be sought from the Health Training Institutions Secretariat of the Ministry of Health before students are levied. It is the hope of the Ministry that, all institutions would adhere to the directives above to ensure coherence and uniformity in the fees charged by Health Training Institutions. All heads must adhere to this directive.” 

Mr. Segbefia also announced that the board of the Mampong Nursing and Midwifery Training College has been dissolved.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry is under pressure to post nurses who have been out of school for years without jobs.