NHS Consultant Calls for Diaspora-Led Health Partnerships as Aid Cuts Deepen
Dr Jacqueline Bamfo, an NHS consultant obstetrician and foetal medicine specialist, has issued a powerful appeal for stronger global health collaborations driven by diaspora networks. As a British-Ghanaian and president of the Ghanaian Doctors and Dentists Association UK, she argues that partnerships are not merely beneficial but essential, especially as international aid budgets face significant reductions.
The Dual Reality of Healthcare Across Borders
Every day, Dr Bamfo navigates two distinct healthcare landscapes: treating patients within the National Health Service in the UK while actively working to bolster medical services in Ghana. This unique perspective has reinforced her belief that health systems worldwide are increasingly interdependent. In the NHS, international health workers form the core of its operational strength, bringing skills cultivated across diverse nations, including those now grappling with their own resource constraints.
Simultaneously, many clinicians like her remain committed to care beyond British shores. Through diaspora organisations, professionals contribute invaluable time, expertise, and resources, from conducting virtual training sessions to providing hands-on specialist services in partnership with local institutions.
Urgent Needs in Maternal Care and Diaspora Contributions
During a recent visit to Ghana, Dr Bamfo witnessed firsthand the pressing challenges in maternal healthcare across several hospitals. Access to timely scanning and medical interventions can decisively influence outcomes for both mothers and children, underscoring the life-or-death stakes involved. This experience highlighted why diaspora-led initiatives are so crucial.
From the UK, she has collaborated with colleagues at the University of Ghana Medical Centre through online teaching platforms. Later this year, she plans to return to deliver in-person training, facilitating a two-way exchange of knowledge with local clinicians. This effort is part of a broader trend where diaspora healthcare professionals have stepped up during crises like the Covid-19 pandemic and continue to bridge care gaps across continents.
The Impact of Aid Reductions and the Diaspora Lifeline
Global health is at a pivotal juncture, with recent aid cuts exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. Over the past year, reductions in international assistance, including from the UK, have directly affected nations such as Ghana. Official figures indicate that UK bilateral aid to Africa is projected to decline by 56 per cent, leading to tangible consequences like fewer outreach services, strained training programmes, and increased pressure on healthcare workers.
In this troubling context, diaspora contributions emerge as a vital lifeline. While they cannot and should not substitute for governmental investment, these networks combine funding, specialised skills, and trusted relationships to help sustain care as other forms of support diminish. Dr Bamfo emphasises that this work is not peripheral but rather a blueprint for modern health partnerships, shifting away from top-down, aid-dependent models towards approaches that are locally led and shaped.
A Call for Meaningful Inclusion in Global Dialogues
In May, the UK will host the Global Partnerships Conference, where governments and civil society will convene to discuss the future of development cooperation. Dr Bamfo asserts that for these conversations to be meaningful, they must be informed by those with lived experience of the relevant systems, including diaspora representatives. These voices should have a genuine say in decision-making processes and resource allocation.
Ultimately, organisations like the Ghanaian Doctors and Dentists Association UK are already laying the groundwork for sustainable health solutions by building relationships, caring for patients, and strengthening services in often-overlooked ways. They represent not a temporary fix but a foundational element of global health equity. The critical question is whether this reality will be acknowledged and whether diaspora groups will be treated as true partners, rather than mere contributors, in forging a more just and sustainable future for healthcare worldwide.
Dr Jacqueline Bamfo is a consultant obstetrician and foetal medicine specialist and serves as President of the Ghanaian Doctors and Dentists Association UK, which is part of the Action for Global Health network.
