Ghana has deployed more than 100 nurses and other health professionals to Grenada under two-year renewable contracts, as the government expands its overseas employment programme to address unemployment among trained health workers and strengthen healthcare delivery in partner countries.
The deployment follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Ghana and Grenada in October 2025 during a visit to Ghana by Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell. The agreement established a framework for recruiting Ghanaian nurses and allied health professionals to support the Caribbean nation’s healthcare system.
The latest deployment forms part of the government’s Ghana Labour Exchange Programme, which seeks to create structured overseas employment opportunities for Ghanaian workers while helping countries facing shortages of skilled personnel. The government has presented the initiative as a way to address the backlog of trained but unemployed health professionals in Ghana.
At the send-off ceremony, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah urged the departing health workers to maintain high professional and ethical standards, stressing the importance of protecting Ghana’s reputation as they take up assignments in Grenada.
The Labour Minister, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, also cautioned the workers against abandoning their contracts for alternative employment, urging them to honour the terms of their agreements and conduct themselves professionally.
He cited the experience of Ghanaian health professionals deployed to Antigua and Barbuda, saying their contribution had earned them strong recognition as “Saviours” amid staffing challenges in the Caribbean country.
Antigua and Barbuda received Ghana’s first batch of 121 nurses, midwives and other allied health professionals under the programme in January 2026. The recruitment came as the Caribbean country faced uncertainty surrounding its long-standing reliance on Cuban medical personnel, following increased pressure from the United States over Cuban medical missions in the region.
“So go and work well. Don’t mess up. Try and raise the flag of Ghana, which is very important. Be professional, professionalism is key. This is what we expect from you. We want you to copy your brothers and sisters in Bahamas, those in Antigua, those in Barbados, and there will be more coming.” he urged.
Ghana has since expanded its recruitment arrangements with other Caribbean countries. In June 2026, 47 Ghanaian nurses departed for St Kitts and Nevis for a two-year assignment. The government has also reported securing more than 200 job placements each in the Bahamas and Trinidad, although those figures represent placements secured rather than confirmed deployments.
Beyond the Caribbean, Ghana is exploring additional opportunities in the United States and Europe. In September, Ghana signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the city of Columbus, Ohio, to establish a formal framework for recruiting and deploying Ghanaian nurses and other health professionals. The agreement is intended to facilitate ethical recruitment, protect workers’ welfare and promote professional collaboration.
“A country is looking for about 2,000 nurses. We signed with the United States now, one particular state, that is Columbus. But as we speak, Illinois, which is Chicago, wants me to sign another agreement, but we can go on and take a number of people.” he stated
The Labour Minister said interest was also emerging from the US state of Illinois, while Germany had expressed interest in recruiting Ghanaian nurses. According to the minister, a memorandum of understanding with Germany was expected to be signed in November.
The proposed agreement would come as Accra prepares to host the sixth German-African Business Summit from November 23 to 25, 2026, bringing together business leaders, investors and policymakers to explore opportunities for cooperation between Germany and African countries.
The expanding overseas recruitment arrangements form part of Ghana’s broader effort to establish structured labour-mobility pathways that protect workers’ rights and provide access to international employment. The programme also presents opportunities for professional development and the exchange of skills and experience between health systems.
Debrah urged the health workers heading to Grenada to uphold the standards expected of Ghanaian professionals abroad, emphasising that their conduct would influence how future Ghanaian recruits are received.
Source: Diplomatic Times
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