Mass departure of health workers threatens Ghana’s healthcare – GRNMA

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) is calling for urgent measures to address the growing trend of nurses and midwives leaving the country, warning that the situation could severely undermine Ghana’s healthcare system if not addressed.

According to the GRNMA, over 3,000 nurses left Ghana in 2023, with the number rising to more than 4,000 in 2024. The Ghana Health Service estimates that over 10,000 nurses and midwives have now emigrated, significantly straining the country’s healthcare workforce.

Health experts caution that the figure could triple by the end of the year without immediate intervention.

Speaking during the 2025 International Day of Nurses and Midwives on May 12, GRNMA President Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo called for urgent improvements in salaries, working conditions, and the provision of adequate medical equipment to stem the tide.

“Some of our colleagues have also emigrated seeking greener pastures elsewhere. And it is all because they complain that their pay is not good, the working conditions are not the best they need equipment to work with they are not there. So, they have left and once they have left and they have not been replaced, what we have is increased workload, and where there is increased workload the resultant effect is burn out among some of our nurses and midwives. And the solution is simple, we need to find a way of ensuring that we ethically manage migration,” she stated.

She further urged the government to adopt ethical and sustainable policies to manage health worker migration and protect the integrity of the nation’s healthcare system.