The President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Perpetual Ofori Ampofo, has expressed deep concern regarding the significant exodus of Ghanaian nurses and its impact on the healthcare sector. Speaking on JoyNews' PM Express, Madam Ampofo highlighted the substantial investments made by the government and taxpayers in training healthcare professionals.
Madam Ampofo emphasized that these professionals received highly subsidized education, with their training funded by the tax contributions of the Ghanaian populace. As such, the mass departure of trained nurses poses a significant challenge to the nation. She expressed her dismay, stating, "It is not the best that we have our professionals, whom we have used taxpayers' money to train, leave. Their education was highly subsidized, and it was the taxpayers' money that trained them. We cannot sit idly by and allow them all to depart."
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In 2022 alone, approximately 4,000 nurses relocated to Western countries to offer their services abroad, highlighting the scale of the challenge faced by Ghana. Considering such staggering numbers, the President of GRNMA calls for realistic solutions to address this problem. Another major concern raised by Madam Ampofo is the involvement of recruitment agencies actively seeking out Ghanaian nurses and midwives.
Furthermore, she accused the government of luring these professionals away under the guise of it being their personal decision. Madam Ampofo stressed the urgency of addressing this issue to achieve the specific targets of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which pertains to good health and well-being. She emphasized that the government should prioritize quality services, including healthcare, education, and transportation, for its citizens.
According to Madam Ampofo, the situation is critical and has far-reaching consequences. The shortage of healthcare professionals not only affects the quality of health services in Ghana but also strains overall development goals. It is crucial to implement realistic solutions that will attract and retain healthcare professionals in the country.
The departure of nurses and other professionals, such as teachers, is an urgent issue that demands immediate attention from the government and relevant authorities. Factors contributing to the exodus include low salaries, poor infrastructure, delayed promotions, the rising cost of living, and general economic hardships. However, the GRNMA President remains confident that a determined government can reverse this trend.
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