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.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has a long history of close ties with Ghana, and in recent years we have deepened this collaboration. Ghana’s health outcomes have improved over the past decade, with life expectancy rising and a growing shift towards non‑communicable diseases, now responsible for 45% of deaths. These changes demand higher‑quality hospital care.

At the same time, Ghana continues to face challenges from three of the five World Health Organisation‑designated neglected tropical diseases.

While child survival rates improved between 2015 and 2021, mortality among babies and under‑fives still falls short of Sustainable Development Goal targets. In response, the RCN, Ghana’s Ministry of Health, and the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association are working together on ambitious plans to strengthen nursing leadership and improve care quality.

Our partnership places Ghana’s nursing workforce at the centre, supporting leaders at regional boards and hospitals to enhance governance and communication across healthcare levels. We also collaborate through the International Council of Nursing’s ODENNA initiative's further expanding opportunities for shared learning and leadership development.

Nursing staff in Myanmar have faced immense challenges since the military coup in 2021. The political crisis destabilised the health system, disrupted care provision, and left nurses vulnerable to harassment, detention, and violence. Many have fled or relocated, critically weakening services, especially in conflict regions where facilities are scarce. Those who remain work under unsafe conditions with inadequate resources, while infectious diseases rise and essential medications, including vaccines, remain restricted.

Nursing education is equally difficult. Lecturers, nurses, and students often operate covertly in resource‑limited settings. RCN members began supporting Myanmar nurses before the coup, and since establishing the International Academy we have significantly scaled up this work.

Sri Lanka, recovering from civil war, terrorist attacks, and the 2022 financial crisis, is stabilising economically through reforms and international aid. Yet non‑communicable diseases remain a major challenge, accounting for 81% of deaths and 77% of disability‑adjusted life years.

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

In collaboration with the WHO, the Sri Lankan Nurses Association, and the Ministry of Health, the RCN has launched capacity‑building initiatives to strengthen PHNOs’ impact, particularly in older persons’ care and palliative care. To date, around 300 nurses have received advanced education in these areas. Our next step is to embed this work into the postgraduate curriculum and support wider health system strengthening.

Our networks continue to grow, and most recently we worked collaboratively to support PHNOs during the Cyclone Ditwah response. [Read more here.]

Nurses in the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) face distinctive challenges. Working in small teams, often hundreds of miles from other health services, they provide care across a wide range of patient needs within their communities.

The RCN International Academy partners with nursing leaders in Anguilla, St Helena, the British Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands, supporting innovative approaches across clinical specialties. Mental health care remains a particular concern: services are underfunded and fragmented, with only 1–7% of health budgets allocated to mental health in the English‑speaking Caribbean. As a result, around 60% of people living with mental illness receive no treatment. With limited specialist provision, nurses, often without formal mental health training, deliver most of the care.

There is an urgent need for action plans to strengthen primary care mental health services, build staff capacity, and support general nurses in delivering effective care. To address this, we have supported prison nurses in the UKOTs through a community of practice, and have now expanded this work into a 12‑month pilot programme funded by the UKHSA. The programme includes two streams:

• Mental Health Stream – aimed at developing communities of learning, collaboration, and support. This stream enables nurses to share resources, stories, tools, and experiences, and to explore practical ways of managing mental health challenges in healthcare settings.
• Quality Improvement (QI) Stream – focused on the PDSA cycle (Plan–Do–Study–Act), with interactive discussions on current challenges and progress across different areas of practice.

Together, these initiatives are helping to build stronger networks, improve care quality, and enhance the resilience of nursing teams across the UK Overseas Territories

In Malawi, we are supporting the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (NONM) with its strategic priorities. This partnership began through the ODENNA programme, where NONM was highlighted as a role model for the initiative. Key issues identified include the need to strengthen the value of nursing leadership and to explore how education and advocacy can better support those in leadership roles. This area of work is being developed further.

There is also growing recognition that nurse‑led research must be enhanced. To address this, we are supporting the development of the Malawi Journal of Nursing and Midwifery and working to strengthen both nursing leadership and research capacity. At present, we are exploring funding opportunities with in‑country partners, academics, and diaspora organisations to advance this important work.