The Bahamas is taking steps to address its nursing shortage by recruiting specialised nurses from Ghana.
Dr. Michael Darville, the Minister of Health, and Wellness in the Bahamas, in a citinewsroom.com news report, disclosed that eighteen speciality nurses from Ghana are scheduled to arrive in the country by the end of October.
These healthcare professionals will play a crucial role in relieving the staffing shortage in Bahamian healthcare facilities.
Dr. Darville expressed his optimism about the timely arrival of the Ghanaian nurses, saying, "I would like to see them in the country before the end of the month. I believe we will be able to accomplish that so that we can fill a lot of gaps of speciality nurses that exist at the Princess Margaret Hospital and some at the Rand Memorial Hospital."
He also emphasised that their arrival would not only enhance the quality of healthcare services provided by Bahamian hospitals but also ease the burdens on the speciality nurses who have been working tirelessly and facing burnout due to excessive overtime.
The shortage of nurses in the Bahamas has been an ongoing issue, leading to concerns about physical and mental exhaustion among frontline healthcare workers. Dr. Darville believes that Ghanaian nurses will significantly contribute to improving the quality of healthcare in the country.
"I want the Bahamian people to know that while we are recruiting, developed countries are recruiting in our country, and it's a burden that we currently face on a daily basis," he added.
He highlighted the shared struggle among Caribbean nations with similar recruitment challenges.
Nevertheless, he emphasized the Ministry of Health and Wellness's commitment to ensuring that quality healthcare services are delivered throughout the country, which sometimes necessitates recruiting from abroad.
Last month, the Public Hospital Authority Managing Director, Aubynette Rolle, stated that various efforts were being made to address the nursing shortage.
In addition to recruiting nurses from Ghana, the government is also expecting nurses from the Philippines and possibly India, further demonstrating their commitment to overcoming the staffing shortfall in the healthcare sector.
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The Bahamas is taking steps to address nursing shortage by recruiting nurses from Ghana. File photo