The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has proposed the cancellation of certificate and diploma nursing programs, advocating for the elevation of all nursing education to the degree level.
This shift seeks to address challenges in the country’s healthcare sector by ensuring a more qualified and professional nursing workforce.
Prof. Ernest Yorke, Vice President of the GMA, revealed this decision during an interview on Wednesday, describing the current system as “bizarre” due to the perplexity of having three different levels of entry into the nursing and midwifery profession.
Prof. Yorke emphasized the need for a more skilled nursing population, stating, “We have to cancel certificate programs, we have to cancel diploma programs, and train nurses and midwives at the degree level.”
Drawing comparisons with Nigeria, where registered nurses and midwives must hold a first degree, Yorke argued that Ghana has the necessary resources and educational institutions to implement similar standards.
He highlighted the predominance of auxiliary nurses, who make up about 60% of the workforce, and suggested that enhancing their qualifications would significantly improve maternal health indicators.
Assuring that current certificate and diploma holders would not be left behind, Yorke mentioned existing courses to help nurses and midwives upgrade their skills to the degree level.
