...195 from Ghana

Britain poached thousands of nurses from South Africa and other developing countries last year despite UK ministers' pledges that they would not solve NHS recruitment shortfalls at the expense of poor nations also lacking nurses.

Figures yesterday from the Nursing and Midwifery Council showed 2,114 nurses and midwives from South Africa were registered to practise in the UK during the 12 months to the end of March. This was more than double the influx of the previous year.

The UK nursing authorities registered 994 nurses from India, more than three times the figure over the previous 12 months. There were also 473 nurses from Zimbabwe (compared with 382 in 2000-01), 432 from Nigeria (347), 207 from Pakistan (44), 195 from Ghana (140), 183 from Zambia (88), and 155 from Kenya (50).

The council said the total number of overseas nurses going on to the UK register increased by 63% to 13,721 - nearly as many as the expected total for "home grown" nurses, which was probably about 15,000. The influx left developing countries with gaps in hospital wards.

Alan Milburn, the health secretary, instructed health authorities and trusts not to recruit directly from developing countries short of nurses. And he warned commercial agencies they would be banned from supplying staff to the NHS if they acted similarly.

But the NHS has accepted the right of nurses to develop their skills in UK hospitals.

The council said 100,000 nurses and midwives from countries outside the EU had applied for information about working in the UK, and 41,656 applied for registration in the year to the end of March.

The council warned, however, that the UK was about to be targeted by the US in a big drive to recruit British nurses.