Drivers of return migration of Ghanaian health professionals: perspectives from doctors and nurses in urban Ghana

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine the trend of return migration of health professionals to Ghana and how it is impacting the delivery of health services in the country. It also highlights the challenges facing returnees to the country. Design/methodology/approach -A qualitative exploratory case study approach was employed in the study. Data gathered were analysed using the sequential model of qualitative content analysis. Findings -It was found that while push factors dominantly influence out-migration, pull factors rather dominated reasons for return migration. Other determinants of return migration include social and financial benefits to the home country, achieving goals for travelling, skills' improvement and spousal consideration. The paper also highlights some of the challenges returnees usually encounter in the home country. Social implications -This paper makes reasonable recommendations regarding how return migration of Ghanaian health professionals might be smoother. Originality/value -The study brings to the fore, the necessity for the government to plan for health professionals, who returned to Ghana to contribute to the health system.

A deskilling and challenging journey: the lived experience of Indonesian nurse returnees

“…Cassarino () reported that 12.6% of North African migrants were forced to return home due to losing their job. Family was among the strong motives for returning home considered by Ghanaian health professionals (Adzei & Sakyi ) and Indonesian nurses (Hirano et al. ).…”

The lived experience of Indonesian nurses in Kuwait: A phenomenological study

“…Furthermore, the study participants also mentioned their willingness to return to their homeland, bringing with them knowledge, skills and experiences to support the nursing profession and healthcare system as well as to build entrepreneurship. Previous studies have also described how migrant nurses returned to contribute to the national health service system or to set up businesses (Adzei and Sakyi, 2014;Brown and Connel, 2004;Kurniati et al, 2017) In this study, living and working overseas is considered temporary; although the period of stay is uncertain for many nurses. Migration has not been seen as the ultimate goal.…”

Experiences of Healthcare Worker Returnees in Their Home Countries: A Scoping Review

“…Decisions to return among migrant health workers included personal reasons such as family issues, nationalism, feeling stressed/under pressure at work, motivation to contribute to the national health system and economic motives. 13,22 Family considerations such as marriage, taking care of children and elderly parents, parental or spousal consent, and building personal or family businesses were among reasons driving migrant health workers decided to return home. 2,13,23 The desire to have direct participation in the national development and make a professional contribution to the national healthcare system led migrant health care workers to return to their countries of origin.…”

“…2,13,23 The desire to have direct participation in the national development and make a professional contribution to the national healthcare system led migrant health care workers to return to their countries of origin. 13,22 Lack of work-life balance reportedly pushed Indonesian migrant care workers in Japan to head back to their home country. 13 Other reasons related to external factors driving return migration of health workers included failing the professional examination, goal accomplishment, end of employment contract, racial discrimination, retirement, language and communication difficulties, and having engaged in more appropriate works.…”