Nurses in the Ashanti Region of Ghana are expressing their frustration with the limited job opportunities in the country, leading many to seek better prospects abroad.
Despite completing their education, these highly qualified and experienced nurses are not being deployed for work by the government.
As a result, approximately 60% of them are considering working in other countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Barbados, and the United Arab Emirates.
This trend is alarming as it could further strain the nurse-patient ratio in Ghana and potentially impact the quality of nursing care for the local population.
Angela Afua Mensah, a nurse, highlighted the lack of job opportunities in the country, stating that many nurses have not been posted since 2016, and those who have been posted often rely on connections to secure their positions.
The nurses are also dissatisfied with the level of compensation, citing inadequate salaries as a major concern.
She noted “There are no job opportunities in the country, and from 2016 to 2019, some nurses have not been posted. Only 25% have been posted, and even then, it’s all based on connections.”
“If you know someone, then you can get your name in the system. The government is not paying us enough. The salary is not sufficient,” she added.
While the nurses express a desire to serve their fellow Ghanaians, they feel that the current system governing nurses in the country is unsustainable.
They are calling on the government to ensure that every nurse is posted to serve the people, even if it means being placed in locations that may not be their preferred places to practice.
They emphasize the importance of providing essential nursing services, particularly at a time when in-person care and connections are crucial.
