




































 

  

Factors Influencing Brain Drain Among Health Workers 

in Ghana  

Sussana Adjei-Mensah 

 

 

 



European Journal of Human Resource   

ISSN 2520-4697 (Online)        

Vol.7, Issue 1, pp 17 - 30, 2023                                                                                     www.ajpojournals.org 
                                                                                                                                 

17 
 

Factors Influencing Brain Drain Among Health Workers in Ghana  

 

Sussana Adjei-Mensah 

Corresponding Author’s E-mail: 

mrssussanaboakye@gmail.com  

 

Article History 

Received: 15th Jan 2023 

Received in revised form: 8th Feb 

2023 

Accepted: 13th Feb 2023 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abstract 

Purpose: The advent of the covid-19 pandemic 

exacerbated the need for more professional health 

workers to serve as front-line workers in hospitals in 

Ghana and other developing countries.  This study 

aimed to ascertain the factors influencing health 

workers' brain drain in Ghana.  

Methodology: The study was a survey with an 

accessible population of 15510 people in different 

categories of health workers. Sampling was through 

stratification for a sample size of 400 respondents across 

the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.  Structured 

questionnaires were used for the data collection and 

analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social 

Sciences (SPSS) as a statistical tool to generate 

descriptive statistics that included the mean, standard 

deviation and ranks based on which inferences were 

drawn.  

Findings: The study found that government inaction on 

the conditions of service of health workers such as low 

remuneration, inadequate opportunities for staff 

development, poor equipment replacement policies, 

political interferences in their workplaces, high 

standards of living and inadequate housing and personal 

reasons amount to the reasons why Ghana is losing the 

majority of her finest health workers to the developed 

nations. The study concluded that the migration of 

healthcare professionals from developing to developed 

nations has negative effects on the delivery of 

healthcare in Ghana especially coming out of a deadly 

pandemic.  

Recommendation: The study recommends that 

government deals with the motivation and hygiene 

factors as well as the push and pull economic factors 

that drive many health workers to seek "greener 

pastures" outside the country hence the trend could 

continue in the coming years. 

Keywords: Developing countries, health workers, 

migration, brain drain, low remuneration.  

mailto:mrssussanaboakye@gmail.com


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1.0 BACKGROUND 

The study of Owusu-Ansah (2015) on brain drain in Ghana’s health sector found that medical 

doctors and nurses trained with public funds emigrate to practice in developed countries due to 

low remuneration and poor working conditions. Oleribe, et al. (2016) indicated that despite the 

absence of a statistically significant difference in the response on leadership and management 

compared to other issues if staff welfare issues such as promotions, management's failure to deal 

decisively with promotion issues, denial of basic entitlements like salary and sponsorship of 

training are not catered for, it can be stated that leadership will have problems with the entire 

workforce which are the most frequently cited cause for health workers current brain drain in 

Ghana.  

According to Alhassan et al. (2013), other factors including limited opportunities for staff 

development, ineffective equipment replacement procedures, limited accommodation facilities 

even in rural areas and the inability to obtain essential social services, such as housing, 

transportation, etc could also be cited as the causes of the mass exodus of some health workers 

from Ghana. Other sources have cited the rigorous recruitment of health or medical personnel in 

Ghana as compared with the western nations. According to Shiao et al. (2017), the motivation for 

the brain drain in terms of health workers has antecedents that may differ with time. Since Ghana 

need to retain these personnel in a post-COVID-19 restructuring of the health services across 

Ghana, there is a need to find out what motivates the health workers who are currently leaving the 

shores of Ghana.  

Other studies conducted were not conducted in Ghana which led to a knowledge and literature gap. 

Despite enormous efforts to expand the health workforce, which increased the density of doctors, 

nurses, and midwives from 1.07 per 1000 people in 2005 to 2.65 per 1000 people in 2017, Ghana 

still struggles with a shortage of health workers and ineffective distribution (Asamani, et al., 2021). 

It stands to reason that many personnel leave the shores of Ghana to practice in other countries 

after the government of Ghana has used the little resources at its disposal to cater for their training. 

It implies also that improving patient satisfaction levels is essential to a healthcare organization's 

long-term success because it is one of their main objectives to not only meet but also exceed 

patients' expectations. Recent social changes place a strong emphasis on gathering the opinions of 

service users, and the healthcare industry has developed techniques for doing so, particularly in 

the last ten years (Ghana Health Service, 2020). Healthcare organizations must carefully consider 

the needs and expectations of their most important clients if they are in the business of serving 

their clients. 

Due to globalization, the migration of medical personnel is a problem that has a global impact. 

Through incorporation, communication, cultural exchange and travel, people now depend on one 

another globally (Labonte et al., 2015). People relocate for a variety of reasons, such as changing 

their lifestyle, escaping oppression, or looking for employment. The demand for healthcare 

workers in OECD countries is also being driven by rising income levels, new medical technology, 

increased specialization of health services, and population ageing (Organization for Economic 

Cooperation and Development [OECD], 2010). An international migrant worker is "a person who 

is to be engaged, is engaged, or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a state of which he 

or she is not a national," (United Nations, 2015). According to the United Nations Population 

Division (2003) statistics, 175 million people worldwide are estimated to be migrants or about 2.9 



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percent of the world's population. The majority of migrants in the world are thought to reside in 

Europe (56 million), Asia (50 million), and North America (41 million), of which 60–65 million 

are thought to be economically active. Although the phenomenon of international migration is not 

new, its significant growth, particularly in terms of size and velocity, suggests a change in the way 

people move around (IOM, 2005). The movement of skilled labour is the main concern of 

policymakers. Concerns about ensuring a just distribution of human resources among source and 

destination countries arise due to the occupational categories that are moving (OECD, 2002a). Due 

to the liberalization of trade brought about by the General Agreement on Trade in Services 

(GATS), new opportunities are emerging for health professionals, with the potential for better pay 

and career opportunities (OECD, 2002b).  

Despite the aforementioned claim, during the 1950s and 1960s, many nations started hiring foreign 

healthcare professionals to advance their healthcare systems. This increased public concern about 

taking early action to combat brain drain syndrome which prompted the World Health 

Organization (WHO) to start a study on the flow and stock of health worker migration (Short, 

2016).  

According to statistics from a recent study, the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia employ between 

22 and 28 percent of all physicians who received their training abroad, highlighting the reliance of 

developed nations on medical graduates with international training and education (Sampath, 2019; 

Mullan, 2005). Particularly, low-income nations send between 40 and 75 percent of their medical 

school graduates to the nations mentioned earlier, with the United Kingdom and the United States 

receiving the most of these contributions (Mullan, 2005). According to additional data, the UK's 

medical professional migration is up by about 5%, and the OECD's member countries have seen a 

20% increase in foreign-born medical professionals (WHO, 2006). According to Chibango (2013), 

highly skilled workers in the health sector are migrating from African countries, particularly those 

in Sub-Saharan Africa which is subpar, making it more difficult to estimate magnitudes and trends. 

Recent health professional migration has resulted in a human resource management crisis on a 

global scale (Joint Learning Initiative, 2004). The need for medical professionals is greatest in 

Africa as the crisis grips the entire planet but Africa is experiencing a shortage of human resources 

as a result of the emigration of medical professionals, population growth, and the burden of 

diseases.  

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that a significant portion of Africa's 

human capital has been lost, and that loss is continuing to grow, with 20,000 doctors, university 

professors, engineers, and other professionals leaving the continent every year since 1990. In most 

countries, especially those with low fertility, migration had been seen as a way to fill a labour 

market gap in response to market demands in developed countries (Anarfi, 2010). There are 

currently over 175 million migrants who leave their home country for other nations for a variety 

of reasons. An increasing number of these migrants according to Anarfi (2010), are nurses, and 

the majority of them were women. Additionally, it was mentioned that these health workers 

emigrated from Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa.  

Additionally, because of the increased demand for services brought on by the health reform in the 

USA, which aims to provide healthcare to a significant number of uninsured people, international 

health workers will undoubtedly emigrate (WHO, 2020). Although the US health system has 

considered ways to reduce costs to increase the impact on the delivery of health services, less 



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emphasis must be placed on health expenditures, but rather on the fact that more healthcare 

professionals are required to serve the additional millions of people (Foster, 2010). The difficulties 

that developing countries face in finding enough quality health workers are made worse by the rise 

in demand. It is crucial to understand the reasons behind emigration to fully comprehend the health 

worker crisis on the international, regional, and national levels which is referred to by Orszag and 

Emanuel (2010) as "pull and push factors of international migration."  

Collaboration among health workers is critical to retaining our best health workers regardless of 

government attitude towards the health personnel resulting in their inclusion in a researchable topic 

for this current study. Not all, there is a need to conduct a study that allows for an in-depth 

examination of the impact of health workers' brain drain on the health sector and Ghana as a whole. 

There is a need to conduct a study to generate new ideas that can be tested through other methods 

and connected to theories that aid in bringing together the various facets of health workers' 

agitation that led to brain drain and the various management practices that are associated with 

organizational growth and sustainability in Ghana's health care industry. 

Studies show that Ghana faced serious health and human resource challenges due to the COVID-

19 pandemic with damning effects on the economy, society and lifestyle of Ghana (Ghana Health 

Service, 2020). The health workers in Ghana were tasked by the government to spearhead the fight 

against the pandemic as front liners who were heavily burdened due to the nationwide spread of 

the virus and secondly, due to its novelty. Several factors are identified to have caused brain drain 

among other personnel in Ghana but there is no definite evidence of the brain drain of health 

workers in post-Covid-19 Ghana. Secondly, most of the studies conducted were on other sectors 

in developed countries. For instance, a study conducted by Pujari (2020) found that developing 

countries were suffering from their greatest decline in terms of their education after the heat of the 

pandemic. Studies such as Woday, Mihret and Biset (2020) and Tiruneh (2020) were conducted 

in developed and developing countries and provided evidence that did not deal directly with health 

issues or health workers' willingness to stay and work in Ghana but rather on education. Evans 

(2020) however, concentrated on the socio-economic issues that the pandemic bestowed on Ghana 

and other developing countries. 

Therefore, in finding answers to the factors influencing brain drain among the health workers in 

Ghana, the studies conducted in Ghana are insufficient since the knowledge and literature provided 

did not address the Ghanaian situation with post-Covid-19 empirical evidence that aligns with the 

Ghanaian healthcare delivery system. Considering the discussion on the effects of the pandemic 

on the healthcare sector and the several agitations that possibly led to the brain drain of health 

workers and healthcare delivery, it is critical to examine the interrelationships of the study 

variables that remain significant over time and the need to fill knowledge, literature and 

methodological gaps that previous studies failed to initiate in seeking to maintain the majority of 

the health workers in Ghana and to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that organizational 

capabilities are used to reverse the brain drain effect on health facilities in Ghana.  

This study is relevant as it sought to investigate and bridge the human capital gaps in the health 

sector taking cognizance of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for a vibrant 

health sector and ready personnel to stay and serve Ghana. The study, adds to the expanding 

literature on the need for quality healthcare facilitated by experienced and qualified personnel 

hence the study conclusions contribute to theory, policy, and academic understanding.    



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The researcher employed the Two Factor Theory of Herzberg in the study since health workers' 

brain drain issues are related to employee satisfaction which is influenced by motivational and 

hygienic factors as indicated in the study background. To this effect, factors such as salary, job 

security, and other similar issues are considered hygiene factors, whereas interest in one's 

profession, opportunities for career advancement, and recognition of personal accomplishments 

are motivational factors. The overall effect is that different combinations of motivational and 

hygiene factors when not catered for can result in a situation where employees start complaining 

all the time leading to attrition (Dartey-Baah & Amoako, 2011). It implies that job dissatisfaction 

is a dimension that can lead to health workers' brain drain in Ghana. 

Applicable to the study, the two-factor theory offers a way to assess employee satisfaction levels 

and sheds light on what causes either favourable or unfavourable employee outcomes leading to 

their willingness to stay, which sparks patient satisfaction in the services rendered. Herzberg's 

Theory according to Goetz et al. (2017) applies in the sense that health personnel report factors 

that contributed to their increased job satisfaction, including relationships with coworkers’, 

increased job responsibilities, greater recognition, and flexibility in terms of job tasks. According 

to research by Raza, Akhtar, Husnain, and Akhtar (2015), positive job satisfaction among 

employees was significantly correlated with motivators like job security, achievement, 

responsibility, and the work itself. In summary, while Herzberg's Two Factor Theory is a central 

tenet in motivating employees to achieve high levels of job satisfaction, they never directly cause 

someone to experience high levels of job dissatisfaction. In Herzberg's model, motivating factors 

have the potential to make people who are currently only moderately satisfied extremely satisfied, 

but they do not affect satisfaction in the absence of hygiene factors that include achievement, 

recognition, advancement, and empowerment. 

2.0 METHODOLOGY 

2.1 Population and Sample Size  

In this study, the accessible population consisted of health professionals working in different 

departments/departments of government or public hospitals in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. 

The hospitals identified according to the Ghana Health Service (2010), include the Korlebu 

Teaching Hospital, 37 military Hospital, SSNIT Hospital, Bank of Ghana Hospital, Police 

Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge), University of Ghana Medical Center, 

Achimota Hospital, Amasaman Hospital, Mamobi General Hospital, and North Legon Hospital.  

The inclusion criteria were all health professionals working in their current wards and department 

for at least three months.  The exclusion criteria included hesitation to participate in the study and 

health workers who were on leave at the time of the data collection. According to the Ghana 

Human Resource for Health Country Profile (2021), there are 15510 health workers (general 

category) in government hospitals in the Greater Accra Region comprising medical officers, 

Specialist, Professional nurses, Midwives, Community health nurses, Biomedical scientists, 

Radiographers, Pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician, Health assistant (enrolled nurse), Medical 

assistant, Dental surgeon and Other clinical who qualify as the study population for the collection 

of quantitative data.  

The researcher used the Taro Yamane (1967) sample size formulas cited in the study of Joseph 

and Kingsley (2016) as follows; 𝒏 =  
𝑵

𝟏+𝑵 (𝜶𝟐)
  



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N = sample frame (population), n = sample size and α = confidence interval. The researcher chose 

a margin of error of 5% and a confidence interval of 95%.  The following substitutions were 

therefore made N= 12500 and α = (0.052) into the sample frame formula,  

Therefore, 𝑛 =  
15510

1+15510 (0.052)
 

n =  
15510

38.7775
 

 𝑛 =  399.9 

Hence, 𝑛 =  400 𝑡𝑜 1𝑑𝑝 

The final sample size determined for the quantitative data was 400 health workers.  

2.2 Sampling Techniques 

Having known the sample size, there is a need to use a sampling technique that ensures that the 

respondents have an equal chance of being selected to participate in the study. Stratified sampling 

was used due to its ability to indicate the exactness of the sample size from each stratum (hospital). 

To ensure that all the 15510 serving as the population are duly represented, the researcher 

estimated that if 80% of those asked to participate in the study do respond, then there is a need to 

invite more. As a result of the predicted response rate, 450 health workers were asked to participate 

in the study. To calculate the number of respondents for selection in each stratum (hospital), the 

researcher adopted the Whitley and Ball (2002), formula 

𝒏(𝒖) =
𝑵(𝒖)

𝑵
× 𝒏        

Where; 𝒏(𝒖) = Sample size for stratum 𝒖, 

 𝑵(𝒖) = Population size for stratum 𝒖,  

𝑵  = Total population size = 15510, and  

n = Total sample size = 400 

Table 1: Sample distribution 

SN Public Hospitals in Greater Accra Region N(u) 
𝑵(𝒖)

𝑵
× 𝒏  n(u) 

 

1 Korle bu Teaching Hospital 3745 3745 / 15510 x 400 97  

2 37 military Hospital 2456 2456 / 15510 x 400 63  

3 SSNIT Hospital 1434 1434 / 15510 x 400 37  

4 Bank of Ghana Hospital 465 465 / 15510 x 400 12  

5 Police Hospital 1324 1324 / 15510 x 400 34  

6 Greater Accra Regional Hospital 2312 2312 / 15510 x 400 60  

7 University of Ghana Medical Center 1327 1327 / 15510 x 400 34  



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8 Achimota Hospital 412 412 / 15510 x 400 11  

9 Amasaman Hospital 654 654 / 15510 x 400 17  

10 Mamobi General Hospital 756 756 / 15510 x 400 19  

11 North Legon Hospital 625 625 / 15510 x 400 16  

  Total N=15510   n=400  

 Source: Hospital data (2022). 

The Simple Random sampling technique which forms part of the stratification process was applied 

in selecting respondents for the quantitative data which according to Polit and Beck (2017) is the 

most fundamental method of probability sampling and involves the development of a sampling 

frame indicating the list of population elements.  

2.3 Method of Data Collection 

Data as indicated by Ajayi (2017), is a general concept that refers to the fact that some existing 

information or knowledge is represented or coded in some form suitable for better usage or 

processing. The researcher collected primary data with closed-ended questionnaires which 

according to Coghlan and Brydon-Miller (2014), can lead to the avoidance of errors and ambiguity 

in a research study. The survey questionnaire addressed the response rates, validity and reliability 

as critical components in the design. For effective data analysis the data, the questionnaire was 

coded according to a five (5) point Likert Scale 1 = Strongly Agree (SA), 2 =, Agree (A), 3 = 

Uncertain (U), 4 = Disagree (D) and 5 = Strongly Disagree (SD).  

The researcher visited the health institutions and sought the appropriate permission and declaration 

of intent to collect the data with trained assistants to aid the data collection or instrument 

administration. The researcher self-delivered all questionnaires and the completed questionnaires 

were collected by the researcher. Each of the respondents took about 10 - 20 minutes in filling out 

the questionnaire and the researcher was always available throughout the data-collecting process 

in case the respondents needed any clarifications.  

2.4 Data Analysis and Management  

Numerical data is best analyzed, using descriptive statistics that allow for presentation in either 

tables, graphs or other visuals, to summarize a collection of data for easy understanding (Curtis 

and Curtis, 2011). The data collected was checked for completeness, and accuracy and coded into 

the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 22. The key parameters for 

analysis of the quantitative data were descriptive statistics made up of mean, standard deviation 

and ranks to allow all the responses to be adequately compared with one another to make 

inferences. 

The data management process was used to ensure that the data entry followed sequential steps to 

ensure effectiveness. Hard copies of the answered questionnaire were stored well with coding, 

editing and data entry made using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 

22. Each questionnaire was numbered to avoid duplication and made to accompany the formal 

coding structure. Data cleaning was carried out by comparing data and questionnaires to ensure 

that responses to each questionnaire were entered correctly and that any discrepancies were 



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resolved appropriately. The researcher ensured that the data collection instrument (questionnaire) 

was limited to the study objectives hence the instrument's questions adequately reflect the concepts 

being measured as indicated by Polit and Beck (2017). To ensure reliability, the researcher made 

sure that all questions were worded correctly to avoid misunderstandings and the questionnaire 

was tested before the final survey.  

2.5 Ethical Consideration  

Ethical issues that were of interest to the study included obtaining the necessary permissions, 

protecting respondents' anonymity, communicating the study's objectives, avoiding dishonest 

practices, respecting individual differences and the potential power imbalances during data 

collection, respecting the indigenous organizational culture and keeping sensitive information 

private and finally protecting participants' identities as indicated by Curtis and Curtis (2011).  

3.0 RESULTS OF THE STUDY 

The researcher presented the study results according to a table and described the quantities 

obtained according to the table. Out of the 400 respondents anticipated as the study sample, 372 

responded forming a 93% response rate. Results obtained on the factors influencing brain drain 

among health workers in Ghana are presented in Table 3 which shows the mean, standard 

deviation and ranks based on the analysis. Respondents collectively indicated which factors are 

high per the ranks indicated from the lowest to the highest ranks indicated as 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. 

Table 2: Factors influencing brain drain among health workers in Ghana 

Statement  Mean  SD Rank  Total (n) 

1.    I want to achieve my future ambitions. 1.42 0.23 3 360 

2.    Poor replacement policies for equipment. 1.46 0.24 5 360 

3.    Low remuneration even relative to countries within sub-

region. 
1.47 0.39 1 360 

4.    Inadequate opportunities for staff development. 1.52 0.27 4 360 

5.    I want to better my education to develop my career. 1.38 0.5 2 360 

6.    Inadequate accommodation even in rural areas. 1.28 0.38 6 360 

7.    Inadequate consumables for work. 1.24 0.4 8 360 

8.    My family and friends are influencing me. 1.38 0.19 10 360 

9.    The standard of living is too high. 1.24 0.45 9 360 

10. Active canvassing of western countries for health 

professionals. 
1.19 0.38 7 360 

11. Inability to acquire basic social amenities eg. housing, 

transport etc. 
1.47 0.17 12 360 

12. There are high political interferences in my organization. 1.38 0.28 11 360 

Source: Researcher’s Construct (2022) 



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Results presented on the factors influencing brain drain among health workers in Ghana as 

presented in table 2 indicate that the response on results on low remuneration even relative to 

countries within the sub-region was ranked 1st with a mean of 1.47 and SD of .39 in affirmation. 

Results on I want to better my education to develop my career was ranked 2nd and has a mean score 

of 1.38 and SD of .50 to confirm. I want to achieve my future ambitions and was ranked 3rd with 

a mean score of 1.43 and SD of .23. Inadequate opportunities for staff development were ranked 

4th and had a mean of 1.52 and SD of .27 as a confirmation factor. Results on poor replacement 

policies for equipment were ranked 5th and have a mean of 1.46 and SD of .24 to affirm.  

Results on inadequate accommodation even in rural areas were ranked 6th and had a mean value 

of 1.28 and a standard deviation of .38 in affirmation. Active canvassing of western countries for 

health professionals was ranked 7th with a mean of 1.19 and SD of .38 to affirm. The results on 

inadequate consumables for work were ranked 8th and had a mean score of 1.24 and SD of .40. 

The standard of living is too high and was ranked 9th with a mean of 1.24 and SD of .45.  

Results on my family and friends influencing me were ranked 10th and had a mean of 1.38 and SD 

of .19. Results on there are high political interferences in my organization were ranked 11th with a 

mean score of 1.38 and SD of .28. Inability to acquire basic social amenities e.g. housing, transport 

etc was ranked 12th with a mean score of 1.47 and SD of .17. The results as indicated in table 3 

shows that though there are few scores of dissenting opinions, most of the respondents consented 

to vary degrees of factors amounting to the brain drain of health workers in Ghana. 

4.0 DISCUSSIONS OF FINDINGS 

The study found that the highly ranked factors influencing brain drain among health workers in 

Ghana include low remuneration even relative to countries within the sub-region, the need to better 

their education to develop their careers, the need to achieve future ambitions, inadequate 

opportunities for staff development, poor replacement policies for equipment, inadequate 

accommodation. The least ranked factors included active canvassing of western countries for 

health professionals, inadequate consumables for work, too high standards of living, family and 

friends influence, high political interferences, and the inability to acquire basic social amenities 

e.g. housing, transport etc. 

The implications are that there is a history of migration of healthcare workers from developing 

countries to developed countries resulting in more negative effects than positive on healthcare 

delivery. According to the Ghana Health Service (2020), facts and figures, there is also the 

government's inability to deal with the push and pull economic factors hence the brain drain is 

attributed to push and pull factors that affected the health and human resources, such as job 

insecurity, poor remunerations, a lack of individual freedoms, and poor infrastructure in most of 

the health facilities, especially in the rural area, with poor working conditions. The inability of the 

government to address the basic requirements of the health workers such as financial rewards, 

career development, hospital infrastructure, resource availability, hospital management, political 

issues, family issues, as well as issues pertaining to training, education, and development will see 

a continuous brain drain of health personnel. The issue of competition from the private sector 

where the competitors (private) offer better salaries, regular working hours, and fringe benefits, 

some of which include housing loans, school fees, and transport allowance as opposed to the public 

sector, many will have to leave the public sector if not for the private, then outside the country to 

seek ‘greener pastures’. Not all, there are also factors of external competition and exogenous 



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factors that call for the brain drain from Ghana and other developing countries to the developed 

world. 

The findings of this study directly relate to a previous study by Labonte et al., (2015) which found 

that due to globalization, the migration of medical personnel is a problem that has a global impact. 

The study emphasized that through incorporation, communication, cultural exchange, and travel, 

people now depend on one another globally and relocate for a variety of reasons, such as changing 

their lifestyles, escaping oppression, or looking for lucrative employment.  

According to the OECD (2010), the demand for healthcare workers in OECD countries is also by 

rising income levels, new medical technology, increased specialization of health services, and 

population ageing. It implies that the findings of the current study are directly related to previous 

studies which made similar findings on the brain drain effect. The United Nations Population 

Division (2003) made similar findings that the majority of migrants in the world are thought to 

reside in Europe (56 million), Asia (50 million), and North America (41 million), of which 60–65 

million are thought to be economically active. It implies that though the phenomenon of 

international migration is not new, its significant growth, particularly in terms of size and velocity, 

suggests a change in the way people move around. The overall effect is that the movement of 

skilled labour must be the main concern of policymakers in every country. The issue of brain drain 

is directly proportional to human resource distribution among source and destination countries 

which arises due to the occupational categories that are moving (OECD, 2002).  

The study of Short (2016) on the United Nations' distribution of health workers' resources revealed 

that, as of 1972, 140,000 physicians worldwide lived outside of their country of nationality, 

making up about 6% of the total. The findings of Short (2016), corroborate the current study as it 

reveals the number of migrating health workers in the world which was estimated to be less, at 

around 5%. It implies that health workers' brain drain is a phenomenal challenge that affects 

developing countries but enhances the healthcare systems of recipient nations. The statistics of 

Sampath (2019) support the current study by showing that the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia 

employ between 22 and 28 percent of all physicians who received their training thus, highlighting 

the reliance of developed nations on medical graduates from developing countries. It implies that 

all these studies point to low-income nations whose trained personnel depart their shores for 

greener pastures due to conditions that do not support their stay and willingness to work in their 

mother countries with 40 and 75 percent of medical school graduates emigrating to the nations 

mentioned earlier, with the United Kingdom and the United States receiving the most of these 

contributions.  

The study by Chibango (2013) provides evidence to support the current study that highly skilled 

workers in the health sector from African countries are migrating abroad, particularly those from 

sub-Saharan Africa. According to the Ghana Health Service (2020) update on the Covid-19 

situation it is evident that the need for medical professionals in Africa, in general, is greatest and 

particularly in Ghana. But Ghana is likely to experience a shortage of human resources because of 

the emigration of medical professionals considering the current agitations emanating from 

government policies on pensions and other issues. This study supports that factors influencing 

brain drain among health workers in Ghana include low remuneration and the need to improve 

their education to advance their careers. The study did not rule out the need to achieve future 

ambitions in Ghana since staff development policies are ineffective with poor replacement policies 



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for equipment in hospitals and insufficient accommodation for personnel across Ghana. The 

implications are that health care worker migration from Ghana to other developed countries has 

had more negative effects on the health care delivery system while the government looks on 

helplessly as the push and pull economic factors open up to cause the brain drain without recourse 

to the ramifications on the health sector.  The government's role is to address the basic needs of 

health workers such as financial rewards, career development, hospital infrastructure, resource 

availability, hospital management, political issues, family issues, and training, education, and 

development to reverse the continuous brain drain of health personnel from Ghana.  

5.0 CONCLUSION 

The study concludes that due to government inaction on the conditions of service of health workers 

such as low remuneration, inadequate opportunities for staff development, poor equipment 

replacement policies, political interferences in their workplaces, excessively high standards of 

living and inadequate housing and personal reasons that include the need to improve the 

educational status, family and friends influence, career advancement and the need to achieve future 

ambitions, Ghana is losing the majority of her finest health workers to the developed nations each 

year. To this effect, the migration of health care professionals from developing to developed 

nations has negative effects on the delivery of health care in Ghana. Since the government is unable 

to deal with the push and pull economic factors to address the fundamental health workers needs, 

such as remuneration issues, career development, hospital infrastructure, resource availability, 

hospital management, political issues, family issues, and training, education, and development and 

competition from the private sector, many health workers are forced to seek "greener pastures" 

outside the country.  

6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS   

Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, it was recommended that the government 

address the motivation and hygiene factors as well as the push and pull economic factors that 

motivate many health workers to leave the country in search of "greener pastures” otherwise, the 

trend on brain drain of health workers in Ghana is likely to increase subsequently. 

Competing Interest  

The researcher declares that she has no competing interests in the study. 

Authors Contribution 

Sussana Adjei-Mensah was the researcher and only author of the study except for citations and 

references. 

Acknowledgements 

The author would like to express her gratitude to Mr Boakye (husband) and her entire family for 

their immense contribution to making this research study possible. The researcher wishes to thank 

all the health workers in the Greater Accra Region who participated in the study with which 

answers were provided to the many questions she asked. The author further acknowledges the 

contribution of Dr Stephen Odonkor, my supervisor whose tireless effort ensured the completion 

of this research study. Finally, all sources from which materials were obtained for the conduct of 

this study are duly acknowledged.  



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