President of Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo has called on immigration officers to cease intimidating nurses and midwives seeking to travel abroad for better opportunities.
She disclosed that some nurses are being required to provide proof of resignation before being granted immigration clearance.
Ofori-Ampofo emphasized that such actions constitute intimidation and must be halted, as nurses have the right to travel freely to any destination of their choice.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, July 13, she said “If I have my passport, I have a visa and I have my ticket to travel and I am going through immigration, no immigration officer has any right to ask me of my resignation letter or any of such, it doesn’t work that way.
“People should not use any such means to intimidate our nurses and midwives who may be traveling, we are all Ghanaians and we all seek to live better lives. How I choose to do it is my decision.”
Admitting the detrimental impact of brain drain in the health sector, she stressed that healthcare delivery in Ghana is being adversely affected.
As a result, she urgently called for intervention to address this issue.
She explained that experienced nurses, who would have played a crucial role in training newly-recruited nurses, are the ones leaving Ghana in search of better working conditions.
Madam Ofori-Ampofo emphasized that nurses desire an environment that fosters career progression, enables further studies, and provides better salaries and benefits. Consequently, they choose to seek opportunities abroad.
Expressing her concern, she stated, “It is indeed a worrisome trend that we are witnessing. Our nurses are departing from Ghana in search of improved work environments and higher salaries.”
“It is their right and we cannot stop them but the truth of the matter is that as much as they are leaving it is having a toll on health service delivery in Ghana.
“The truth is those that are leaving are those that are well experienced, with many years of experience. Even if we are going to recruit new personnel these are the very people who would have trained them, so their leaving is a big issue.”
She added “It is about time we really sit as stakeholders to discuss this matter thoroughly. From where we sit, we know that we cannot stop them because it is their right to migrate but it is about time we put in some innovation in terms of motivational packages that will really attract or help to retain them in the country.
“There are some nurses who for various reasons will never leave Ghana but the majority are still nurturing the idea of leaving the shores of Ghana, it is all because they want to have better opportunities for career progression, they want to pursue some academic venture, looking for higher salaries or better conditions of service.”