The Executive Council of the Ghana Registered Nurses Association has expressed dismay that in spite of the high attrition and exodus rates of nurses from the public service and the country, government appears not to have the goodwill to curb the trend.

They noted that in the first two weeks of January, this year, over 200 nurses left the shores of Ghana for greener pastures with no systematic and pragmatic steps being put in place to retain the few that are left.

The executive council said this at the end of their annual meeting when they reviewed their activities for the year 2002 and plans for the New Year.

They called on the government to enhance the service conditions of nurses as a stopgap to diminish the attrition rate.

The council added that the salary negotiations by all health professionals have been prolonged and protracted because the government has no will to attract and retain nurses and other health professionals.

They commended government efforts of improving the transport system in the health sector, but were unhappy that nursing services and nurses in general do not benefit for such measures.

"The distribution of the vehicles must take into consideration the different categories of health workers so as to allow fair play and equity to prevail," they stressed.

On the fuel price increase, they were of the view that it is a step in the right direction as it is going to curtail the collapse of the economy.

They appealed to the government to re-appraise the situation of nurses and put practical measures in place rather than the proposed 20 per cent increase in the salary level of workers since it would worsen rather than stop the situation.