The Ghana Health Service has disclosed that a total of 3,688 healthcare professionals have departed the country in the past three years in search of better opportunities abroad. This exodus includes both skilled practitioners and essential caregivers.
Several healthcare workers leaving Ghana have attributed their decision to inadequate working conditions within the country. In response to this growing concern, the Ghana Health Service has taken measures, such as revising and doubling study leave for unprofessional nurses since 2021.
The service expects that by the middle of next year, many of these nurses will have completed their qualifications and can help fill the resulting staffing gap.
However, during discussions on the Health Ministry’s 2024 budget, the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, proposed that the government should consider increasing the remuneration of nurses to address this ongoing trend.
He emphasized the need for a thorough audit to determine the extent of the deficit caused by the departure of healthcare professionals and advocated for appropriate measures to recruit replacements for those who have left.
