
Forty-three Ghanaian specialist nurses arrived in the country this morning to strengthen the country’s healthcare workforce and support the delivery of quality healthcare services.
Their arrival follows the signing of a four-year bilateral health cooperation agreement between both countries earlier this year, which targets 400 healthcare workers joining the healthcare system in Jamaica.
The specialist nurses will be assigned to several public hospitals across the island with majority being assigned to the Western Regional Health Authority which manages health facilities in St. James, Westmoreland, Trelawny and Hanover and the South East Regional Health Authority which oversees Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Thomas and St. Catherine.
The nurses, who are specialist in various areas, including, critical care, paediatrics, operating theatre, nurse/midwife, emergency, oncology and mental health/psychiatric, will also serve in the other two health regions and at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).
Speaking on the arrival of the nurses, Minister of Health Dr. Christopher Tufton said the arrival of this first cohort marks an important step in strengthening Jamaica’s healthcare workforce.
Dr. Tufton said other partnerships are being sought to help fill gaps in the health sector, noting that the Ministry has already signed several agreements, including one with Nigeria.