Ghana to send 375 qualified nurses to Barbados

Ghana has agreed to send 375 Ghanaian nurses to Barbados to work in health facilities in that country to address the acute shortage of qualified and professional nurses in its health sector.

The agreement reached between the Prime Minister of Barbados, Ms. Mia Amor Mottley, and the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, came out of bilateral talks held last Friday in Bridgetown, Barbados. as part of the five days of the president. Caribbean tour.

Addressing a press conference after an in camera meeting, the two leaders agreed that the acute shortage of nurses confronting Barbados was imperative and that Ghana was able to provide badistance in that direction.

The Barbadian Prime Minister said: "We have indicated that we are looking for slightly fewer than 400 nurses, so it 's not a small number and we really believe it' s all about. a great opportunity for cooperation between our two countries. "

In addition, it was also necessary to first secure nurses and set up joint educational programs, all with the aim of securing the health sector in Barbados, she said.

For his part, President Akufo-Addo told the Barbadian Prime Minister: "We have a surplus of nurses in Ghana and placing them all in our public health system is one of my headaches. There have been many (nurses) produced, with which, for several years, we have not been able to do anything.

He said, "So, I'll go back. I will be back in Accra on Monday, and the next week the Prime Minister will hear about me about the nurses. "

President Akufo-Addo, the first Ghanaian leader to visit Barbados, had agreed with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley to reactivate a cultural, technical and scientific agreement signed in 2005 between the two countries, dormant for 14 years.

Discussions also focused on tourism and transport and the two countries agreed to work on an air services agreement that would establish direct air links between the two countries, to stimulate trade and people-to-people contacts.

On renewable energies, President Akufo-Addo expressed the wish of Ghana to work with Barbados, a giant country in this field, to increase its share of renewable energy in its energy mix.

As evidence of the close ties between Ghana and Barbados, the President expressed his commitment to the establishment of an Honorary Consulate in Barbados, Barbados having to establish a High Commission in Accra from here to the end. of 2019.

Source: ISD (Rex Mainoo Yeboah)