{"id":94809,"date":"2025-09-18T20:00:43","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T20:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=94809"},"modified":"2025-09-18T20:00:43","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T20:00:43","slug":"nearly-300-skilled-health-workers-leave-korle-bu-in-first-half-of-2025-medical-director-raises-alarm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=94809","title":{"rendered":"Nearly 300 skilled health workers leave Korle Bu in first half of 2025 \u2013 Medical Director raises alarm"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class='booster-block booster-read-block'>\n                <div class=\"twp-read-time\">\n                \t<i class=\"booster-icon twp-clock\"><\/i> <span>Read Time:<\/span>2 Minute, 36 Second                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div><div>\n<p>Close to 300 highly skilled and specialised health workers have left the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital between January and June 2025 in search of better opportunities abroad, in what hospital officials describe as an alarming attrition rate threatening healthcare delivery.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Medical Director of Korle Bu, Dr. Harry Akoto, revealed the figures during a needs assessment visit by the administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, ahead of the initiative\u2019s nationwide rollout to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cOur data show that about 300 people have left between January and June this year, and these are highly skilled, highly specialised professionals \u2014 not fresh graduates. The reasons are multifactorial, but the bigger chunk is remuneration. People feel they can earn more elsewhere,\u201d Dr. Akoto told JoyNews\u2019 Maxwell Agbagba.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BRAIN-DRAIN.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He warned that unless urgent steps are taken to improve working conditions, remuneration, and training for nurses and doctors, the country risks losing its most experienced health professionals to more developed nations.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe need to ramp up the training of more nurses so we always have enough to take care of ourselves. But we must also improve the environment in which they work. Otherwise, we are fighting a battle we cannot win. I call this the galamsey of healthcare because it is threatening our survival \u2014 you can have beautiful buildings, but if there is nobody there to work, patients will still be lost,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, explained that the visit to Korle Bu is part of a nationwide needs assessment to identify equipment gaps, infrastructure challenges, and service delivery weaknesses before the rollout of Mahama Cares.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MAHAMA-FUND.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cMahama Cares cannot operate without engaging facilities like Korle Bu because they are the key stakeholders. We need to know what they have, what needs replacement, and what needs urgent attention. The tour has opened our eyes to the realities here, and we are confident that once we get the reports from the departments and act on them, we will make a real difference,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Madam Obuobia added that the initiative will focus not only on patient support but also on prevention and equipment replacement to strengthen Ghana\u2019s capacity to manage NCDs.<\/p>\n<p>Director of Medical Affairs at Korle Bu, Dr. Frank Owusu Sekyere, described the Mahama Cares initiative as timely and crucial for easing the pressure on Ghana\u2019s premier teaching hospital.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThe visit has been very good. It is easy to sit somewhere and assume what the needs are, but this tour has helped to identify the real gaps \u2014 from equipment to human resources. Korle Bu carries a heavy national burden, so this support will go a long way to help us deliver better care,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/SEKYERE-DEAL-1.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Dr. Sekyere noted that Korle Bu loses ICU nurses almost every month and welcomed Mahama Cares\u2019 focus on training, which he said could help plug the human resource gap.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cHealth is a shared responsibility, and if Mahama Cares is coming to share that responsibility, that is welcome news. We are definitely looking forward to the takeoff of this project,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n        <div class=\"booster-block booster-reactions-block\">\n            <div class=\"twp-reactions-icons\">\n                \n                <div class=\"twp-reacts-wrap\">\n                    <a react-data=\"be-react-1\" post-id=\"94809\" class=\"be-face-icons un-reacted\" href=\"javascript:void(0)\">\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/wp-content\/plugins\/booster-extension\/\/assets\/icon\/happy.svg\" alt=\"Happy\">\n                    <\/a>\n                    <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">\n                        Happy                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                        \n                                                <span 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                 <div class=\"twp-reaction-title\">Surprise<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"twp-count-percent\">\n                                                    <span style=\"display: none;\" class=\"twp-react-count\">0<\/span>\n                                                                        <span class=\"twp-react-percent\"><span>0<\/span> %<\/span>\n                                            <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n    ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.myjoyonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Korle-bu-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Nearly 300 skilled health workers leave Korle Bu in first half of 2025 - Medical Director raises alarm\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nearly 300 skilled health workers leave Korle Bu in first half of 2025 - Medical Director raises alarm\">Close to 300 highly skilled and specialized health workers have left the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital between January and June 2025 in search of better opportunities abroad, in what hospital officials describe as an alarming attrition rate threatening healthcare delivery.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Medical Director of Korle Bu, Dr. Harry Akoto, revealed the figures during a needs assessment visit by the administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, ahead of the initiative\u2019s nationwide rollout to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur data show that about 300 people have left between January and June this year, and these are highly skilled, highly specialized professionals \u2014 not fresh graduates. The reasons are multifactorial, but the bigger chunk is remuneration. People feel they can earn more elsewhere,\u201d Dr. Akoto said.<\/p>\n<p>He warned that unless urgent steps are taken to improve working conditions, remuneration, and training for nurses and doctors, the country risks losing its most experienced health professionals to more developed nations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to ramp up the training of more nurses so we always have enough to take care of ourselves. But we must also improve the environment in which they work. Otherwise, we are fighting a battle we cannot win. I call this the galamsey of healthcare because it is threatening our survival \u2014 you can have beautiful buildings, but if there is nobody there to work, patients will still be lost,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n<p>Mahama Cares Needs Assessment<\/p>\n<p>Administrator of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, explained that the visit to Korle Bu is part of a nationwide needs assessment to identify equipment gaps, infrastructure challenges, and service delivery weaknesses before the rollout of Mahama Cares.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMahama Cares cannot operate without engaging facilities like Korle Bu because they are the key stakeholders. We need to know what they have, what needs replacement, and what needs urgent attention. The tour has opened our eyes to the realities here, and we are confident that once we get the reports from the departments and act on them, we will make a real difference,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Obuobia added that the initiative will focus not only on patient support but also on prevention and equipment replacement to strengthen Ghana\u2019s capacity to manage NCDs.<\/p>\n<p>Korle Bu\u2019s Pressures<\/p>\n<p>Director of Medical Affairs at Korle Bu, Dr. Frank Owusu Sekyere, described the Mahama Cares initiative as timely and crucial for easing the pressure on Ghana\u2019s premier teaching hospital.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe visit has been very good. It is easy to sit somewhere and assume what the needs are, but this tour has helped to identify the real gaps \u2014 from equipment to human resources. Korle Bu carries a heavy national burden, so this support will go a long way to help us deliver better care,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Sekyere noted that Korle Bu loses ICU nurses almost every month and welcomed Mahama Cares\u2019 focus on training, which he said could help plug the human resource gap.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHealth is a shared responsibility, and if Mahama Cares is coming to share that responsibility, that is welcome news. We are definitely looking forward to the takeoff of this project,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>The exodus of healthcare professionals remains one of Ghana\u2019s biggest public health challenges, with hospital officials warning that unless working conditions and incentives improve, the trend could further strain the country\u2019s already stretched health system.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,3814,1945,8801,1883,10,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-94809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","category-health-workers","category-hp-news-8","category-korle-bu-teaching-hospital","category-national","category-politics","category-popular"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94809","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=94809"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94809\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=94809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=94809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=94809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}