Ghana sends nurses to replace Cuban doctors in Caribbean
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Following US policy changes, Ghana is sending health workers to fill gaps in Caribbean healthcare systems.
In February 2025, the US expanded visa restrictions to target foreign officials involved with Cuba’s overseas medical missions, which Washington accuses of being forced labor. As a result, Cuba has withdrawn doctors from several Caribbean nations, including Jamaica, Guyana, and Antigua and Barbuda, after decades of service.
Ghana responded by sending 61 health workers to Grenada and over 120 to Antigua and Barbuda under its Labour Export Programme, with Barbados approving another 112. Accra says Germany and other Caribbean states are also seeking Ghanaian workers. Ghana has the capacity to train health workers at a large scale, and its government manages the deployments through agreements that emphasize worker conduct and contract fulfillment. However, Ghana’s ability to export nurses also stems from its own domestic challenges.
The country has a surplus of trained health professionals it cannot afford to employ, leading to unemployment and an existing outflow of nurses seeking better opportunities elsewhere. While the arrival of Ghanaian nurses is welcomed, Caribbean nations must also focus on retaining their own healthcare professionals and building sustainable, independent systems.
