Story:Nana Akua Ampong

Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, has revealed that engagements are underway to send trained Ghanaian nurses to the United Kingdom (UK) to work.

According to him, there is an ongoing bilateral contract with the British government in exchange for financial consideration.

During the 2023 Budget debate in Parliament on Monday, December 5, 2022,   the Dormaa Central legislator said the agreement would  be similar to an already existing arrangement with Barbados, under which he said Ghanaian nurses were  excelling.

“We are engaging with the government of the United Kingdom, and we are just about to sign a memorandum of agreement after cabinet approval to begin to send nurses for training and work there and come back home after three years.

“Ghana is going to benefit from the little money that the UK government will pass on. For every single nurse that goes away, when we finish the agreement, it is likely we will get over 1000 pounds to come and support the health system in Ghana,” he said on Monday.

In March this year, Barbados received 200 more Ghanaian nurses to complement the staffing needs of the island country.

The Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Motley, in an address expressed her appreciation to the government for extending help to her country’s health sector.

Ghana and Barbados in 2019 signed an agreement for the recruitment of nurses from Ghana.

The agreement, signed at the Jubilee House, when Mia Mottley paid a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo, as part of her official visit to Ghana, led to the initial recruitment of over 100 Ghanaian nurses.

Meanwhile, there are concerns over the initiative, as some have suggested that the nurses should be absorbed into Ghana’s Health Service.