Jamaica welcomes first cohort of 43 Ghanaian nurses
Key Points(5)
- Jamaica welcomed its first cohort of 43 Ghanaian nurses on Monday as part of a four-year bilateral health agreement aimed at strengthening the country’s healthcare workforce.
- The nurses arrived at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston as Jamaica begins implementing an agreement with Ghana that targets the recruitment and temporary deployment of up to 400 healthcare workers to the island.
- The agreement, signed earlier this year, provides a framework for the voluntary recruitment of Ghanaian health professionals, particularly nurses and doctors, while promoting cooperation between the two countries and ethical international recruitment practices.
- Health and Wellness Minister Christopher Tufton said the arrival of the first group marks an important step in efforts to strengthen Jamaica’s healthcare workforce.
- “We warmly welcome the Ghanaian nurses and look forward to the valuable contribution they will make to our health system and the people we serve,” Tufton said.
Jamaica welcomed its first cohort of 43 Ghanaian nurses on Monday as part of a four-year bilateral health agreement aimed at strengthening the country’s healthcare workforce.
The nurses arrived at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston as Jamaica begins implementing an agreement with Ghana that targets the recruitment and temporary deployment of up to 400 healthcare workers to the island.
The agreement, signed earlier this year, provides a framework for the voluntary recruitment of Ghanaian health professionals, particularly nurses and doctors, while promoting cooperation between the two countries and ethical international recruitment practices.
Health and Wellness Minister Christopher Tufton said the arrival of the first group marks an important step in efforts to strengthen Jamaica’s healthcare workforce.
“We warmly welcome the Ghanaian nurses and look forward to the valuable contribution they will make to our health system and the people we serve,” Tufton said.
The ministry said the recruitment is aligned with its Vision for Health 2030 plan and Human Resource for Health Stabilization Strategy.
The nurses will be assigned to public hospitals across the island, with the majority expected to work in facilities under the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) and South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA).
WRHA oversees public health facilities in St. James, Westmoreland, Trelawny and Hanover, while SERHA covers Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Thomas and St. Catherine.
The nurses have specialties including critical care, paediatrics, operating theatre, nursing and midwifery, emergency care, oncology and mental health and psychiatric care. Others will be assigned to the island’s other health regions and the University Hospital of the West Indies.
The four-year agreement was signed during a Jamaican delegation’s visit to Ghana in May by Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith and Tufton, along with their Ghanaian counterparts.
Beyond workforce recruitment, Jamaica and Ghana plan to expand health cooperation in areas including primary care reform, national health insurance and the management of non-communicable diseases.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness said the broader partnership will facilitate the sharing of knowledge, expertise and resources between the two countries.
