By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said 18 specialty Ghanaian nurses will arrive in the Bahamas to help relieve the shortage of nurses.

On Friday, Dr Darville said the nurses will be in the country by the end of the month.

“I would like to see them in the country before the end of the month,” said Dr Darville on the sidelines of The Ministry of Health and Wellness Leadership Forum’s opening ceremony.

“I believe we will be able to accomplish that so that we can fill a lot of gaps of specialty nurses that exist at the Princess Margaret Hospital and some at the Rand Memorial Hospital.

“And to be able to improve the delivery of quality services that we want to provide at our hospitals and take a lot of burdens from a lot of our specialty nurses who are working a lot of overtime and we don't want them to burn out. So we look forward to these nurses to come to the country.”

There has been continuing nurses shortages in the country with many frontline workers continuously complaining of exhaustion – both physically and mentally.

Dr Darville noted the significance of the Ghanaian nurses, saying they will help in the fight to provide quality service in the country.

“I want the Bahamian people to know that while we are recruiting, developed countries are recruiting in our country and it's a burden that we currently face on a daily basis.

“We're not alone in the Caribbean, other Caribbean colleagues and ministers of health are constantly presenting this issue of excessive recruitment in the Caribbean and the Bahamas is no exception.

“But for us at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, it is our responsibility to do all that we need to ensure that these services are provided in the country and that requires going outside and recruiting from abroad.

“So, we look forward to the nurses coming from Ghana into the country to help us to deliver quality health care services, not only in Grand Bahama and New Providence, but throughout the country.”

Last month, Public Hospital Authority Managing Director Aubynette Rolle said that officials were making various attempts to address the nursing shortage in the country.

She noted that the government was expecting nurses from Ghana, the Philippines and potentially India.