Ghana News

Ghana to Send Nurses to Grenada to Help Tackle Health Worker Shortage

Ghana and Grenada are deepening bilateral ties through new agreements on visa-free travel, healthcare collaboration, and trade development. The move follows a historic political meeting in Accra, where both nations pledged to enhance cooperation in key sectors including health, migration, and commerce.

Ghanaian Nurses to Support Grenada’s Health System

As part of the partnership, Ghana will deploy trained nurses and allied health professionals to Grenada to help fill critical shortages in the Caribbean country’s public hospitals and clinics. The initiative forms part of Ghana’s Work Abroad Program, which provides international employment opportunities for skilled Ghanaian professionals while strengthening diplomatic relations.

Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell, who is in Ghana for a three-day state visit, described the shortage of nurses as one of his country’s biggest challenges. “We urgently need more healthcare workers, and Ghana’s expertise presents a perfect opportunity for partnership,” he said during the meeting.

Visa-Free Travel Between Ghana and Grenada

President John Dramani Mahama announced that both nations are finalizing a visa waiver agreement to allow free travel for citizens of Ghana and Grenada.
“We’ve had a few complaints from some Grenadian citizens. We are asking the Foreign Ministry to sort it out so that we can fully implement the visa waiver for all categories of passports, diplomatic and ordinary,” he said. Mahama emphasized that the measure will promote ease of travel and strengthen people-to-people connections between Africa and the Caribbean.

Trade, Ancestry, and Shared Heritage

The two leaders also discussed expanding trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which enables Ghana to export goods duty-free and tariff-free across Africa. Mahama said this presents a unique chance for Caribbean nations like Grenada to invest and collaborate with African markets of over 1.3 billion people.

Prime Minister Mitchell expressed Grenada’s commitment to building stronger economic and cultural ties with Ghana, revealing that a DNA ancestry test traced his maternal roots to the Akan ethnic group. He added that nearly 75% of Grenada’s population can trace their ancestry to Ghana, highlighting the deep historical bond between the two nations.

Health and Diplomacy: A Shared Future

President Mahama noted that the newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will not only address Grenada’s healthcare needs but also create structured collaboration in health and education. Commending Ghanaian health professionals for their compassion and global recognition, he said the partnership would yield mutual benefits for both nations.

He also praised the Ghana–Grenada Political Consultations, co-chaired by Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Grenada’s Foreign Minister Joseph Andall, as a practical step toward deepening political, economic, and cultural engagement.

Read more about the policy in this article on Free SHS funding