It's a timebomb': Ghana grapples with mass exodus of nurses as thousands head to the west

"When Bright Ansah, a nursing officer in Accra, goes searching for colleagues who have failed to show up for a shift at the overstretched hospital where he works, he knows where to look. When you see In God we trust' on their WhatsApp status, that's when you know they're already in the US, he says. The motto of the US has been co-opted by Ghanaian medical professionals who are leaving the west African nation in droves. Many believe their faith has finally been rewarded when, after years of planning, they reach the promised land of the well-equipped, well-resourced hospitals of the US."

"Since the Covid pandemic wreaked havoc on global healthcare systems, the number of nurses, midwives and doctors to have left Ghana has risen exponentially. It is estimated that at least 6,000 nurses left in 2024, driven by factors such as low wages, unpaid salaries and worsening infrastructure. While the US is a huge draw, nurses are also migrating to other countries including the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and the UAE."

"Meanwhile, in May and October, Ghana's foreign ministry signed agreements with Jamaica and Grenada to send hundreds of nurses to the Caribbean islands, expanding on a 2019 agreement with Barbados. In July, the health minister announced that more than 13 countries had expressed interest in establishing similar recruitment arrangements. The government's justification for the schemes is that Ghana has a surplus of nurses, with tens of thousands unemployed. And those working on the frontline of healthcare feel they are on the precipice of a crisis."

Ghana is experiencing a large-scale exodus of nurses, midwives and doctors seeking better-resourced hospitals abroad. Departures accelerated after the Covid pandemic, with an estimated 6,000 nurses leaving in 2024 alone. Push factors include low wages, unpaid salaries and worsening infrastructure. Major destination countries include the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and the UAE. The government has signed recruitment agreements with several Caribbean nations and cites a surplus of unemployed nurses. WHO lists Ghana among countries facing critical workforce challenges, and frontline staff warn the outflow risks precipitating a severe healthcare crisis.

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