Korle Bu Faces 300 Health Workers Quitting in 6 Months
Korle Bu Teaching Hospital is reeling from an unprecedented wave of resignations, with nearly 300 specialised health professionals leaving the country’s premier referral facility in the first half of 2025. Hospital authorities say the loss which is made up of intensive care nurses, senior medical officers, laboratory experts and other critical staff, is undermining the hospital’s ability to provide life-saving services.
Dr. Harry Akoto, Deputy Medical Director of Korle Bu, confirmed that an average of 50 intensive care nurses alone are exiting each month. He described the attrition rate as alarming, warning that if immediate measures are not taken, the hospital’s capacity to manage emergencies and complex cases could collapse.
The departures are being blamed on a mix of poor remuneration, heavy workloads, limited opportunities for professional development and better offers from health institutions abroad. Management fears the trend reflects a wider “brain drain” across Ghana’s health sector, where skilled personnel are increasingly leaving for more attractive working conditions overseas.
The situation has prompted calls for urgent government intervention. Dr. Akoto has appealed for improved salaries, incentives, and better working environments to retain experienced staff. He also stressed the importance of investing in training to replace those who have already left and to build a pipeline of skilled professionals for the future.
In response, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund — known as the Mahama Cares initiative — has begun a needs assessment at the hospital. The exercise aims to identify gaps in equipment, staffing and infrastructure as part of a broader plan to strengthen healthcare delivery and curb the loss of highly trained workers.
Health experts warn that if the exodus continues unchecked, Korle Bu’s status as the backbone of Ghana’s healthcare system will be at risk. As the main referral hospital for complex and emergency cases nationwide, its weakening workforce threatens not only patient outcomes but also the stability of the country’s wider health network.
