Korle Bu Teaching Hospital is grappling with severe staff crisis, losing an average of 50 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses monthly, according to Deputy Medical Director, Dr Harry Akoto.

Dr Akoto disclosed this during a needs assessment tour of the hospital by Obuobia Darko-Opoku, administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

The report by 3news.com indicated that the visit is the first of several planned official trips under President John Dramani Mahama’s health care initiative dubbed “MahamaCares”.

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The “MahamaCares” initiative is aimed at supporting Ghanaians with chronic non-communicable diseases like cancer, kidney failure, and stroke.

It also seeks to bolster healthcare through investments in infrastructure, equipment, specialist training, and research.

Ghana's health sector has faced a severe "brain drain" of medical professionals since the early 2000s, driven by poor working conditions, low salaries, and attractive opportunities abroad, particularly in the UK, US, and Canada.

By 2022, nearly 4,000 nurses had emigrated, with over 1,200 joining UK’s National Health Service (NHS) alone.

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The trend intensified in 2023-2025 amid economic challenges and global recruitment, exacerbating shortage of health workers at facilities across the country.

Ghana's doctor-to-patient ratio is reported to be 1:9,000 (vs. WHO's 1:1,000), with nurse density lagging below global medians.

GA/VPO

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