Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives Demands National Conversation on Health Workers’ Safety After Nurse’s Death in Ambulance Accident

The Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives, Ghana (UPNMG) has called for a national conversation on the safety, welfare, and recognition of health workers following the tragic death of nurse Mr. Yakubu Jatong during a patient transfer.

In a strongly worded statement, the union expressed “profound sorrow, outrage, and concern” over the incident, which occurred on March 3, 2026. Mr. Jatong, who worked at St. Mary’s Hospital in Drobo, died in a fatal ambulance accident while transferring a patient to a referral facility in Kumasi.

According to the union, he was the sole nurse in the ambulance, with no paramedics present. The patient and the patient’s mother also died in the crash, while the driver survived.

UPNMG criticised what it described as a “muted response” from the state, arguing that the sacrifice of the late nurse has not received the recognition it deserves.

“His sacrifice has not been properly recognized, there has been no national expression of sympathy, and there has been little public discussion about the challenging and risky conditions under which nurses and midwives continue to work,” the statement said.

The union described the situation as “disturbing and unacceptable,” questioning why the nation appears to mourn certain professionals deeply while remaining silent when nurses and midwives make the ultimate sacrifice.

“As a union, we must ask: why does the nation mourn deeply when certain professionals die in service, yet remain silent when nurses and midwives make the ultimate sacrifice?” it queried.

Highlighting the personal loss, UPNMG noted that Mr. Jatong “was not just a health worker. He was a husband, a father, a colleague, and a Ghanaian whose life mattered,” adding that he leaves behind a wife and three children.

Union’s Demands

The union is urging the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, and the Christian Health Association of Ghana to:

• Publicly acknowledge the sacrifice of Mr. Yakubu Jatong
• Extend official sympathy and support to his bereaved family

It is also calling for broader government action, including:

• Initiating a national conversation on the protection, compensation, recognition, and memorialisation of health workers who die in the line of duty
• Reviewing critical systems such as emergency referral systems, ambulance safety protocols, occupational risk protections, and compensation structures for frontline health workers

UPNMG insisted that the incident must not fade into obscurity.

“The death of Mr. Yakubu Jatong must not become another forgotten tragedy… Let it remind the state that silence in the face of sacrifice is not neutrality; it is neglect,” the statement stressed.

The union’s call has highlighted ongoing concerns about the working conditions, safety, and recognition of frontline health workers in Ghana.