Dr. Ekua Amoakoh pushes for global recruitment of Ghanaian nurses

Deputy Spokesperson for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s presidential campaign, Dr. Ekua Amoakoh, has called for the creation of structured international partnerships to help address Ghana’s growing unemployment crisis among nurses. She noted that the country trains approximately 55,000 nurses each year, far exceeding the capacity of the local health system to employ them.

Dr. Amoakoh said the idea of exporting Ghana’s nursing expertise has been a long-standing policy discussion and remains one of her personal priorities.

“This is something dear to my heart. I spoke about it before the last election and hoped we could expand it into a larger national programme,” she said.

Her comments follow the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ghana and the Bahamas to facilitate the recruitment of Ghanaian teachers and nurses abroad.

Dr. Amoakoh emphasized that the oversupply of nurses requires innovative solutions that not only provide employment opportunities but also bring economic benefits to Ghana.

“The truth is, we produce a lot more nurses than the system can absorb. We train about 55,000 nurses every year, but the government payroll cannot take all of them. Exporting this valuable human resource has been on the table for a long time,” she noted.

She revealed that the move toward structured international recruitment began in 2024, under then-Health Minister Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, who initiated talks with Jamaica, Germany, and the United Kingdom on possible recruitment arrangements for Ghanaian nurses.

According to her, Ghanaian nurses are highly respected internationally despite facing challenges locally. “Outside the country, our nurses are known for their competence and professionalism, and they are often welcomed with open arms,” she added.

Dr. Amoakoh suggested that Ghana could adopt a model similar to Cuba’s international medical cooperation system, where trained professionals are deployed abroad for a fixed period before returning home.

“This is an opportunity the country must manage well. If structured properly, nurses can work abroad for about five years, contribute foreign exchange to Ghana’s economy, then return home to make room for new cohorts. That’s what Cuba does successfully,” she explained.