A rural community midwife in the Volta Region, Angela Tsrakasu, has appealed to the government to prioritise nurses and midwives serving in rural, district and sub-district health facilities in the upcoming recruitment and deployment of Ghanaian health professionals to the United States.
Ms Tsrakasu, who works at the Ave-Dakpa Health Centre and the Avevi Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Zone in the Akatsi North District, said rural health workers deserved consideration for the international employment opportunity because of their commitment to serving deprived and hard-to-reach communities.
In a Facebook post cited by The Archives, she appealed to President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to consider opening the recruitment process specifically to nurses and midwives currently serving at the district and sub-district levels.
She argued that such a policy would reward the sacrifice and hard work of health professionals serving at the grassroots while motivating newly trained nurses and midwives to accept rural postings.
“If this recruitment portal is opened exclusively for those at the district and sub-district levels, it will reward sacrifice and hard work at the grassroots, motivate newly trained nurses to willingly accept rural postings, strengthen primary healthcare where it is needed most, and reduce attrition from rural facilities to urban facilities,” she said.
Ms Tsrakasu said many health workers in rural communities continued to work with limited resources, inadequate accommodation and little motivation, yet remained committed to providing essential healthcare and saving lives.
She said giving them priority in the US recruitment exercise would restore hope among rural health workers who felt neglected and demonstrate government’s appreciation for those serving in difficult conditions.
US Recruitment Pathway
The appeal follows an announcement by the Ministry of Health that Ghana has secured a new pathway for qualified Ghanaian nurses to access employment opportunities in the United States through an agreement with the City of Columbus, Ohio.
The initiative follows months of technical discussions between Ghanaian and US counterparts and is expected to facilitate arrangements for the ethical recruitment and deployment of Ghanaian health professionals, particularly nurses.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Mr Akandoh said the initiative formed part of efforts by the Ministry to create credible and decent international employment opportunities for Ghanaian health professionals.
He stressed, however, that the initiative would not be limited to sending nurses abroad but would also ensure that their rights, welfare and professional interests were protected throughout the process.
According to him, the partnership is being pursued in line with Ghana’s Migration Policy, international best practices and global standards governing the recruitment of health professionals.
He said the framework would also provide opportunities for skills transfer and broader collaboration between health professionals and institutions in Ghana and the United States.
“The partnership builds on the existing Sister-City relationship between Accra and Columbus and Ghana Labour Exchange Programme,” the statement said.
Mr Akandoh assured that the Ministry would continue to pursue partnerships that create decent employment opportunities for Ghanaian health professionals abroad while ensuring that recruited professionals are treated fairly and their professional rights protected.
MoU Signed
The agreement between Ghana and the City of Columbus was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 14, 2026.
The partnership was facilitated by Buckeye Africa Exchange, StrideHx and Columbus Sister Cities International.
