Our international work

We run programmes in more than 5 countries and we're always looking for more opportunities to make a positive impact.

See what we're up to in each country below.

Developed by Ghanaian and UK nursing experts, this programme aims to:

• enhance care quality
• strengthen strategic leadership within Ghana’s nursing sector

Ghana’s health outcomes have improved over the past decade. Life expectancy has increased, and there’s been a shift towards non-communicable diseases, which cause 45% of deaths. These changes demand higher-quality hospital care. Ghana also faces challenges from 3 of the 5 World Health Organisation-designated neglected tropical diseases. While child survival improved between 2015 and 2021, deaths among babies and under-5s still fall short of Sustainable Development Goal targets.

Our partnership with Ghana includes a programme to address these evolving needs by placing Ghana’s nursing workforce at the centre and strengthening nursing leadership. By effectively supporting leaders at regional boards and hospitals, we can help enhance governance and communication across health care levels.

We’re also partnered with Ghana through the International Council of Nursing’s ODENNA initiative.

Malawi faces a severe nursing shortage, with only 0.7 nurses and midwives per 1,000 population in 2020—one of the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa. This shortage, worsened by nurse migration and poor working conditions, leaves the country with fewer than 40,000 registered nurses for over 20 million people, especially straining rural health care.

Despite having nursing training institutions, limited professional development and job opportunities hinder retention. Alongside the International Council of Nurses, we’re working to address these challenges through initiatives like ODENNA, which strengthens the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (NONM).

Our partnership with Malawi started in 2004. It focuses on leadership development and improving nursing conditions. Under ODENNA, efforts include:

• mentoring
• leadership training
• enhancing continual professional development programmes
• developing Malawi’s only nursing journal

These initiatives aim to improve nurse wellbeing, professionalise the workforce, and boost engagement with NONM.

Nursing staff in Myanmar have faced huge challenges since the military coup in 2021. The political crisis has destabilised the health care system and disrupted care provision. Nursing staff are often targeted for their involvement in opposition groups, facing harassment, detention and violence.

Many have fled the country or relocated, critically weakening the health care system, especially in conflict regions where medical facilities are scarce. Those who remain are working under unsafe conditions with inadequate resources. International humanitarian aid attempts to reach the most needed, but there are huge obstacles in coordination and resource allocation. Meanwhile, rates of infectious disease are on the rise, and essential medications, including vaccinations, are restricted.

Nursing education is a challenge. Lecturers, nurses and student nurses operate covertly in resource-limited facilities. We’re heavily involved in supporting an undergraduate nursing degree and a ‘bridging’ degree in a number of areas in Myanmar. We continue to advocate for our colleagues across the country and will grow this work throughout 2025.

Sri Lanka, recovering from civil war, terrorist attacks and a financial crisis declared in 2022, is stabilising economically through policy reforms and international aid. But non-communicable diseases remain a significant health challenge, accounting for 81% of deaths and 77% of disability-adjusted life years. 

To address this, the country introduced the postgraduate specialised role of Public Health Nursing Officers (PHNOs), who provide community-based care for chronic and end-of-life patients. Despite progress, PHNOs face challenges like heavy workloads, low pay and inefficient referral systems. Nursing documentation also prioritises data collection over care planning and follow-up. 

In collaboration with the WHO, we supported a 3-day educational programme in November 2024, training PHNOs in communication, dementia care, holistic assessment and documentation. The workshop, co-funded by WHO and endorsed by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health, has received positive feedback. We’re now planning for further capacity-building initiatives and a wider programme to enhance the impact of PHNOs in improving patient care.

The United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) maintain a constitutional connection with the UK, which supports their health systems due to legal and moral responsibilities. Some of these territories, home to over 300,000 people, face significant challenges in mental health care.

Mental health services are underfunded and fragmented, with only 1-7% of health budgets allocated to mental health in the English-speaking Caribbean. Around 60% of individuals with mental illnesses in the region receive no treatment. Due to limited specialist care, nurses – often non-specialists – provide the majority of mental health care.

There is a pressing need for action plans to improve primary care mental health services, enhance staff capabilities, and support general nurses in delivering effective mental health care.

We supported prison nurses in UKOTs through a community of practice. We’re exploring ways to expand this work and widen the impact to the global nursing community.