So Bad!! Over 4,000 nurses have left Ghana to work abroad – GRNMA discloses

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has recently disclosed a concerning trend in the healthcare sector: more than 4,000 of its members have departed Ghana for European countries in the first seven months of 2023.

The primary motivation behind this significant brain drain is the inadequate compensation and overall working conditions experienced by nurses and midwives in the country.

The GRNMA expressed its frustration, highlighting the consistent failure of successive governments to address these issues, not only for nurses and midwives but also for healthcare professionals in general.

However, the GRNMA acknowledges that this problem extends beyond the borders of Ghana.

Throughout the West African sub-region, nurses and midwives are emigrating to developed nations in search of better employment conditions.

This widespread migration of healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and midwives, is causing a significant drain on the healthcare systems in these developing countries.

The departure of these skilled professionals is leaving a void that is difficult to fill, putting additional strain on already struggling healthcare systems in these regions.

The situation in Ghana is emblematic of a broader trend in the developing world, where healthcare professionals are seeking opportunities in Europe and North America due to the allure of better working conditions and compensation.

The impact on the healthcare systems of these countries is profound, as they grapple with the challenge of replacing the departing talent.

This phenomenon underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reform and investment in the healthcare sector across developing nations to retain and attract healthcare professionals, ultimately ensuring the provision of quality healthcare services to their populations.

Addressing this issue is crucial to preventing the further deterioration of healthcare systems in these regions and achieving better health outcomes for all.

“The truth of the matter is that our salaries in Ghana as nurses and midwives are not the best. But I also know that it is not only Ghana.

Within the sub-region, within Africa as a whole, it is the same issue…So this issue about the movement of nurses from Ghana is actually not affecting only Ghana. Go to Nigeria. Go to Ivory Coast. Go to other countries.

They are leaving. They are leaving because the salaries and other conditions of service are not the best,” the President of the GRNMA Perpetual Ofori Ampofo said in an interview with Citi News Thursday.