The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has warned that the growing migration of nurses and midwives abroad is worsening staffing shortages in Ghana’s health facilities, putting additional pressure on the remaining workforce.
The Association’s National President, Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, raised the concern during a meeting with Northern Regional Minister Ali Adolf John at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council in Tamale on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
She said the continued departure of trained and experienced health professionals in search of better working conditions and employment opportunities abroad was creating serious staffing gaps, particularly in underserved communities.
Mrs Ofori-Ampofo appealed to the Regional Minister to support calls for the recruitment of additional health professionals and improved conditions of service to encourage nurses and midwives to remain in Ghana.
She warned that the growing workload on existing personnel could undermine the quality and accessibility of healthcare if urgent measures were not taken.
In response, Mr Ali Adolf John assured the Association that the Northern Regional Coordinating Council would engage Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to address concerns relating to nurses’ and midwives’ welfare, accommodation and working conditions.
He said the government remained committed to improving healthcare delivery through infrastructure development and initiatives such as the Free Primary Healthcare programme and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCare.
The Minister also disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama had directed all MMDAs to construct at least two CHPS compounds annually, with residential accommodation for health workers, to expand primary healthcare access and improve staff availability in rural communities.
He called for sustained collaboration between government, health professionals and other stakeholders to address challenges confronting the health sector.
The GRNMA delegation was led by Mrs Ofori-Ampofo and included national and regional executives of the Association.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
