The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) warns healthcare workers against using illegal recruitment agencies for overseas employment, citing risks of exploitation and abuse.
Emigration rates remain high, with over 10,000 nurses and midwives leaving in 2025, 200 to 400 departing monthly, and approximately 1,000 leaving between January and August 2026. This ongoing exodus severely strains Ghana’s healthcare system.
GRNMA President Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo highlighted the domestic toll: “The impact of migration on our health system is huge. Our colleagues are facing increased workloads and are getting burnt out. The way they approach issues becomes affected, and ultimately, patients are also affected.”
The Association is demanding transparency regarding Ghana’s bilateral recruitment agreements with foreign nations. “When the agreement is signed, in other countries, if you want to see the agreement, it is even online. When you type ‘bilateral agreement between the Philippines and the UK’, you will get it. But with Ghana, it is not available,” Mrs. Ofori-Ampofo noted.
To prevent exploitation by illicit agencies, the GRNMA urges members to verify recruiters through the Association first: “The caution to our midwives is that they should not run along with any agency that presents opportunities to go and work abroad. At least, you can run the agency by us. We have the links to verify them, so we can help you.”
Additionally, over 80,000 qualified nurses and midwives remain unassigned. The GRNMA is requesting the Ministry of Finance to release financial clearances for these postings. Deploying these workers and improving general conditions would ease system pressure and curtail brain drain.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
