Specialist in Health Economics and Health Systems with The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed worry about how colleges and universities appear to prioritize revenue over health education quality, resulting in a reality in which standards have plummeted.

According to Prof James Avoka Asamani, this compromise is evident in overcrowded clinical sites and overworked lecturers.

Prof Asamani, citing a 2022 study, indicated that only 24% of older persons receiving care in acute settings in Tamale rated high satisfaction with nursing services received.

He further stated that regions such as Greater Accra and Eastern, which house the majority of nurses and midwives, lag in antenatal care coverage and Skilled Birth Attendance.

"This calls into question the quality of care being provided. To enhance excellence and resilience, we must now focus on quality."

With 135 Nursing/Midwifery Colleges and Universities, he believed the country could produce all it desired, from diploma to postgraduate specialized nurse/midwife.

"Our robust regulatory framework, well-structured nursing and midwifery leadership, and governance mechanism set us as a benchmark for many countries. However, the question that confronts us today is whether capacity is enough. Quality, not just quantity, matters."

On the intriguing phenomenon of majority of Enrolled Nurses, Community Health Nurses, and Diploma Nurses use their first salary to seek Bachelor’s degree training, Prof Asamani pointed out that, “our certificate and diploma nurses and midwives are not satisfied with their current level of training”.

He further explained that, the desire of nurses and midwives to seek higher education

is not a problem to be solved; it’s an opportunity to revamp our nursing and midwifery education system to make it more responsive.

"We can aspire for excellence: Is it not even long overdue to consider upgrading all nursing and midwifery training schools to offer degrees? – this will improve standards and facilitate our drive to export nursing skills."