The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) is warning nurses and midwives against using unlicensed recruitment agencies to secure employment abroad.
The Association says the growing use of illegal recruitment agents is exposing Ghanaian health professionals to exploitation, abuse and unfair treatment in destination countries.
According to the Association, the number of nurses and midwives leaving Ghana in search of better opportunities abroad continues to rise.
In 2025 alone, more than 10,000 Ghanaian nurses and midwives reportedly emigrated. The Association says between 200 and 400 health professionals are currently leaving the country every month.
Between January and August 2026, about 1,000 nurses and midwives have already left Ghana.
The increasing migration, however, is putting additional pressure on the country’s health system, with fewer health professionals left to serve patients.
President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, says the situation is becoming overwhelming.
“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 also calling for greater transparency over bilateral agreements Ghana has entered into with countries seeking to recruit health professionals.
According to Mrs. Ofori-Ampofo, information on such agreements should be easily accessible to the public.
“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.”
The Association is particularly concerned about nurses and midwives who fall victim to unlicensed recruitment agencies promising them opportunities abroad.
It is therefore urging members to verify recruitment agencies before engaging their services.
“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.”
Meanwhile, more than 80,000 nurses and midwives are currently awaiting posting, according to the Association.
The Association is appealing to the Ministry of Finance to release the necessary financial clearance to enable the government to post the health professionals awaiting deployment.
It says addressing the backlog, while also improving working conditions, could help reduce the pressure on Ghana’s health system and stem the loss of skilled health professionals to other countries.
By Daniel Opoku
