Nine in Ten Ghanaian Nurses Say Their Pay Cannot Cover Basic Needs — UPNMG Sounds the Alarm

An overwhelming majority of nurses and midwives working across Ghana's health system say their monthly earnings are not enough to meet their basic living costs, according to a study conducted by the University Practitioners of Nurses and Midwives of Ghana (UPNMG). The findings — showing that 95 out of every 100 nurses and midwives surveyed hold this view — paint a troubling picture of the welfare conditions facing the frontline health workers Ghana depends on most.

What the study found

The UPNMG study lays bare a deep sense of financial distress among nursing and midwifery professionals in the country. With Ghana's cost of living having risen sharply in recent years — driven by high inflation, a depreciating cedi and elevated fuel and food prices — the gap between what nurses earn and what they need to survive has widened considerably. The survey found that an overwhelming proportion of respondents feel their remuneration has failed to keep pace with these economic realities.

Beyond salaries, the study also points to broader welfare concerns, suggesting that existing arrangements around allowances, working conditions and other forms of compensation are equally out of step with the current economic environment. UPNMG is now calling on the government, employers and all relevant stakeholders to urgently review and restructure remuneration packages so they genuinely reflect what it costs to live and work in Ghana today.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's public health system has long grappled with the consequences of an underpaid and overworked nursing workforce. When nurses and midwives feel financially unsupported, the effects ripple across the entire health sector. Low morale, absenteeism and — most critically — the decision by skilled professionals to seek better-paying opportunities abroad all become more likely outcomes.

The phenomenon commonly referred to as the brain drain is particularly relevant here. Ghana has in recent years seen significant numbers of trained nurses emigrate to the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and other countries offering far more competitive salaries and better working conditions. Each departure represents a loss not only of talent but of the public investment made in training those professionals. If the conditions highlighted by the UPNMG study are not addressed, that outflow is unlikely to slow.

Nurses and midwives are also the backbone of maternal and child health services — areas where Ghana still faces considerable challenges in meeting health outcome targets. Midwives in particular play a critical role in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality, especially in rural and peri-urban communities where specialist doctors are scarce. A demoralised or depleted midwifery workforce has direct consequences for the survival of mothers and newborns.

The path forward

UPNMG's call is clear: it is not enough to celebrate nurses during health awareness campaigns or deploy them to manage crises — their compensation must reflect the value of the work they do and the economic pressures they face. The association is urging government and employers to open genuine dialogue on restructuring salaries, reviewing allowances and improving the overall welfare environment for nursing and midwifery professionals.

Ghana has ratified several international frameworks relating to decent work and health worker welfare. Advocates argue the time has come to translate those commitments into concrete, measurable improvements in what nurses and midwives take home at the end of each month. Without that, the cycle of frustration, exodus and healthcare system strain is set to continue.

• The findings come at a time when Ghana's health sector is already under pressure from infrastructure gaps, medicine shortages and growing patient demand — making a motivated nursing workforce more important than ever.
• Stakeholders, including health sector unions and civil society groups, are expected to amplify the UPNMG findings as part of ongoing advocacy ahead of government budget and wage negotiations.