GRNMA President Backs Ghana-Grenada Nurse Export Deal, Urges Support for Unposted Nurses and Education Reforms
The President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Madam Perpetual Ofori Ampofo, has shared her views on the recent bilateral agreement between Ghana and Grenada regarding the export of Ghanaian nurses to the Caribbean nation.
Her comments followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries during the official visit of Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell on Friday, October 17.
Speaking to newseyegh.com, Madam Ofori Ampofo explained that the initiative, while welcomed, is not entirely new. She recalled that under the previous government, Ghana entered into a similar agreement with Barbados, which saw three cohorts of Ghanaian nurses deployed to work there.
According to her, these partnerships provide valuable international exposure and employment opportunities for Ghanaian nurses, many of whom remain unemployed after graduation.
Madam Ofori Ampofo proposed that the government should consider unposted nurses who are currently at home and eager to work, for deployment under such international arrangements.
She suggested that these nurses could be given a three-month orientation in Grenada to familiarize themselves with the country’s healthcare system, protocols, and cultural environment before assuming full professional duties.
Additionally, the GRNMA President emphasized the importance of reforming the country’s nursing education system. She recommended that nursing and midwifery training institutions gradually phase out certificate and diploma programs in favor of degree-level education.
This shift, she noted, would not only enhance the quality of nursing education in Ghana but also enable more nurses to pursue advanced specializations through the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives. Such specialization, she argued, is essential for strengthening Ghana’s health sector and improving patient care.
Madam Ofori Ampofo also called on the government to invest more heavily in nursing and midwifery infrastructure, training, and professional development. She stressed that while the export of nurses offers economic and diplomatic benefits, it is equally important to ensure that Ghana retains a strong and well-equipped healthcare workforce to meet the needs of its growing population.
