The Chief Executive of the International Council of Nurses, Howard Catton has raised concerns over nurses leaving countries like Ghana and Nigeria to the United Kingdom.

Nurses from countries on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) ‘red list’ where active recruitment should not be conducted have been called for to be investigated.

Current information by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of UK available indicates that 1,334 nurses joined the register from Nigeria, and 336 joined from Ghana in the six months to September 2021. Both countries are on the WHO’s Health Workforce Support and Safeguard List.

However, nurses from red list countries are still free to apply for UK jobs. The numbers are high for purely individuals who are moving of their own will, according to Mr. Howard Catton.

“What is important is that nurses that come to work in the UK from Nigeria are offered the help and support they need,” she said.

Wendy Olayiwola who is the President of the Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK indicated that she was oblivious of any active recruitment of Nigerian nurses to the UK and that some nurses were struggling to find jobs in their country.

“What is important is that nurses that come to work in the UK from Nigeria are offered the help and support they need,” she said.