The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a robust defense of its internationally coordinated effort to recruit nurses from Ghana, characterizing the initiative as a necessary and meticulously executed response to systemic staffing crises within its healthcare sector. Facing persistent vacancies across hospitals, mental health facilities, and community clinics, the Cabinet authorized the mission as a targeted stabilization measure.
Health authorities detailed that a senior multidisciplinary delegation, comprising nursing leadership, hospital administrators, and public health officials, conducted an intensive in-person selection exercise in Ghana during September. This rigorous process was designed to evaluate each candidate’s clinical proficiency, communication abilities, and overall professional readiness against the nation’s stringent legal and regulatory standards.
From an initial pool of 190 applications, a thorough screening process identified eligible candidates for interviews. Following assessments, 127 nurses were recommended for professional vetting by the Antigua and Barbuda Nursing Council, which granted final approval to 123 registered nurses. Subsequently, 112 were selected for deployment, pending completion of mandatory professional registration, medical and police clearances, and immigration formalizations.
Government officials emphasized the collective and criteria-driven nature of the selection, asserting that no unilateral decisions were made and that any candidate failing to meet domestic professional benchmarks was disqualified, regardless of their qualifications in Ghana.
Crucially, the administration clarified that this international recruitment does not displace local healthcare workers but instead aims to alleviate critical pressures by reducing excessive overtime, mitigating staff burnout, and ensuring care continuity. This initiative operates in parallel with long-term domestic strategies, including the expansion of local training programs through the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus and incentives for specialized nursing education among Antiguans.
The first cohort of Ghanaian nurses is anticipated to arrive by month’s end, with a phased integration plan that includes a comprehensive onboarding and orientation program to acquaint them with the local health system and workplace protocols. This forms part of a broader governmental vision to develop a self-sustaining national healthcare workforce.