The first batch of 121 beneficiaries under the President Mahama-led administration’s Ghana Labour Export Programme has departed Ghana for Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean.
The health professionals are going to provide services in midwifery, mental health, and general healthcare.
Ghana’s Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah-Akandoh, noted that this initiative forms part of efforts to address the backlog of trained health professionals in the country.
He revealed that Antigua is the first beneficiary country while revealing plans to extend the programme to other Caribbean nations.
“We inherited a backlog of more than 80,000 health professionals who have completed the various degrees and yet are at home and do not have jobs. So as part of government intervention to create jobs for especially the health professionals, we are exploring avenues where countries have requested our health professionals to work with them.”
“Today is about Antigua; we are working on Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad. And so we’ll be doing that in batches.”
To the beneficiaries, he encouraged them to do their best.
“And so today we are here to say goodbye to you, but we’ll be following your progress with keen interest, and as you are going, you must be reminded of the fact that you are carrying the flag of Ghana, and therefore we wish that you go and work with diligence and professionalism.”
He then assured health professionals who were to be employed to remain calm as the government takes steps in dealing with the matter.
“Those of you who are at home watching us, I’m very hopeful that it will get to your turn. Usually, the debate has been that we do not have health workers in our various health facilities, but we are exporting, I mean, health workers. That is not it. The availability of health professionals in this country is not a problem. As I have already indicated, we have excess. We have inherited about 80,000 health professionals, but as you all know, we have a country to govern, and at every point in time, our budget can absorb a certain proportion of them.”
He added, “And so as the government is looking at absorbing some internally, in-country, in our various health facilities, we are also exploring other avenues outside the country.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
