Accra, May 9, GNA-The Nurses and Midwives Council (NMC) has adopted

a five-year strategic plan aimed at repositioning nursing and midwifery practices to promote standards of professional conduct and efficiency. The 116-page document, which is the first of its kind since the establishment of the NMC in 1972, is also intended to make the Council a globally acclaimed regulatory body. Launching the plan in Accra on Friday, Ms. Kathlyn P.P Ababio, out-going Chairperson of the Council said the was adopted at a time when patients, clients and the general public were complaining about the quality of service received from health workers. She stated that with the plan, the Council would be able to strengthen its supervisory functions and roles to ensure that the prescribed standards of nursing and midwifery care were being adhered to. "By December 2012, every visitor to any hospital, clinic or health centre in Ghana would have no choice but to acknowledge the turn around in the attitude if our nurses and midwives", she added.

Ms. Ababio expressed optimism that the approval of the Health Sector Regulatory Bodies Salary Structure would complement objectives of the strategic plan to attract more competent and experienced human resources into the health sector. Dr. Ebenezer Appiah Denkyirah, Director of Human Resource for Health Development at the Ministry of Health commended the initiative, saying it was necessary to provide a road map for future visions of nursing and midwifery practice. He said Ghanaians could only contribute effectively to attaining the middle- income status when healthy and this was why the Ministry had committed itself to regenerative and preventive health care education. Dr Denkyirah urged the Council to develop other plans that would focus more on staff attitude and appealed to the health workers to upgrade their skills. Professor John B. K. Aheto, Consultant for the strategic plan explained that the plan, was in line with the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) aimed at serving public interest of creating wealth through health. The Council also launched its website, www.nmcgh.org, inaugurated its 12th Governing Council and presented awards to its partners that helped in developing the plan. 9 May 08