President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Madam Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, has urged the government to transform the negative trend of nurses leaving the country to seek better opportunities abroad into a positive one.
She suggested that the government should consider establishing bilateral agreements with countries that are recruiting Ghanaian nurses as a means to generate foreign exchange.
Madam Ofori-Ampofo made these remarks during the 2023 Military Nightingales’ Week Celebration at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
She highlighted how the emigration of nurses was adversely affecting the labor force in the healthcare sector and emphasized the importance of not missing out on the financial benefits of such arrangements.
Madam Ofori-Ampofo cited the example of the Philippines, which earns approximately $54 billion annually by exporting nurses and midwives.
She proposed that Ghana should modify its training programs for nurses and midwives to take advantage of similar opportunities.
“We need to change our training model. We need to do our homework as a country. Let us change the training module of our nursing and midwifery profession to the degree level.
“Nobody wants an auxiliary nurse to come and work in their high-income earning country. That is a fact. They will not come and recruit our community nurses, who are certificate holders. They want the degree holders who have add on specialties and have working experience. That is the target,” she said.
The Director, Nursing, Ghana Armed Forces Medical Service, Col. Rex Adzagba, said the government ought to put measures in place to retain health workers.
Nightingale Week Celebration is marked by nurses and midwives globally to commemorate the international nurses’ week, which is celebrated globally in honour of Florence Nightingale, the mother of modern nursing.
Nurses and midwives are expected to use the occasion to reflect and take stock of their past activities, evaluate them, and adjust for the future.
Some senior and junior officers were given awards to mark the celebration.