Nurse-For-Cash Agreement Between Ghana And United Kingdom Announced In Parliament By Health Minister

• Health minister Kweku Agyeman-Manu has announced plans by Ghana to send registered nurses to the United Kingdom for cash
• The minister told Parliament on December 5, 2022, that Ghana could make £1,000 for each nurse sent to the UK
• He disclosed that there are ongoing bilateral talks between Ghana and UK to introduce a similar deal already in existence between Ghana and Barbados

Ghana's Ministry of Health has announced an ongoing process to sign a nurse-for-cash agreement with the government of the United Kingdom.

Health Minister Kweku Agyeman-Manu told Parliament on Monday, December 5, 2022, that just like the bilateral agreement between Ghana and Barbados, Ghanaian nurses will support UK's health system.

“We are engaging with the government of the United Kingdom and we are just about signing a memorandum of understanding after Cabinet approval to begin to send nurses, even certificate nurses, to go for training and work there and come back home after three years”, he said in Parliament during debate on the 2023 budget.

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He said Ghana is likely to benefit from funds the UK government will pay for receiving the highly trained Ghanaian nurses.

“For every single nurse that goes away – when we finish the agreement – it’s likely we’ll get a £1,000 to come back to support our health system,”

In 2020, Ghana sent 95 experienced nurses to Barbados to support the Caribbean country’s healthcare system.

During Ghana's 65th Independence Day celebration on March 6, 2022, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Motley, thanked Ghana profusely for sending in the nurses.

Mia Motley, who spoke as a special guest of honour, said:

“I stand here on your Independence Day to thank the people of Ghana for being able to support us in our need for nurses."

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She also said she was looking forward to accepting 200 more highly trained nurses from Ghana.

Over 3,000 Nurses Left Ghana For Better Conditions Abroad In First Quarter of 2022

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a separate story that poor working conditions have compelled over 3,000 nurses in Ghana to migrate to other countries on their own in the first quarter of 2022 in search of better opportunities.

According to the mother association of nurses and midwives in Ghana, the unregulated migration of Ghanaian health workers, particularly nurses, to Europe and America, could affect Ghana's health system.

Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwifery Association wants the ministry of health, the Ghana Health Service and other government agencies in the health sector to intervene.

Source: YEN.com.gh