St. Kitts and Nevis welcomes 47 Ghanaian nurses

St. Kitts and Nevis formally welcomed 47 nurses from Ghana on August 10 as they joined the country’s healthcare workforce under the Ghana Labour Exchange Programme (GLEP).

There are 32 general nurses and 15 Community and Public Health nurses in the group. They are going to work across hospitals and clinics in St. Kitts and Nevis for two years. And they will gain international clinical experience before returning to Ghana.

The nurses arrived in St. Kitts and Nevis on June 28. They departed Accra International Airport on June 27 as they were selected through a competitive recruitment process. The recruitment process also included interviews with representatives from St. Kitts and Nevis.

After the welcome ceremony on August 10, the nurses will now officially work in the healthcare system of the country. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister and Health Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, Permanent Secretary in the Minister of Health Curtis Martin and members of the Joseph N. France General Hospital leadership.

PM Dr. Drew said that the additional nurses will help in easing pressure on healthcare professionals already working in the Federation. This introduction will also improve nurse-to-patient ratios while strengthening patient care. Speaking as a medical doctor, Dr. Drew said that he understands the pressure that could be placed on nurses because of healthcare shortages.

After the welcome ceremony, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was also conducted led by Dr. Terrance Drew. This ceremony marked the reopening of the refurbished Private Ward at the Joseph N. France General Hospital.

The nurses were recruited through a bilateral labour arrangement between Ghana and St. Kitts and Nevis. Under the agreement, the nurses will get accommodation, remuneration, transportation, meals and other agreed conditions of service during their placement.

The programme is also designed to benefit Ghana. Deputy Health Minister Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah said the selected nurses portrayed the skills and competencies required for international deployment. She said that Ghana is currently making efforts to create opportunities for the trained but unemployed health professionals and this programme is a part of Ghana’s efforts.

Ghana has also made similar bilateral arrangements with countries which are looking for qualified health professionals through structured labour mobility programmes. Ghana is expected to deploy other groups to Caribbean countries including Jamaica, The Bahamas and Grenada. This would be done after comparable recruitment and interview processes.

Deputy Chief of Staff responsible for Administration Nana Oye Bampoe Addo said that the programme is giving the healthcare professionals a chance to take up opportunities abroad as they also stay connected to their home country.

She urged the nurses that they should be professional while working in St. Kitts and Nevis and return to the country with knowledge that can strengthen the country’s healthcare system.