The government has begun a phased recruitment programme for nurses, midwives and other health professionals as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and address staffing shortages across the country.
The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, announced the initiative while addressing Parliament, assuring lawmakers that the recruitment exercise is being carried out in phases to align with available financial resources and the staffing needs of health facilities nationwide.
According to the Minister, the ongoing recruitment is currently focused on the 2021 batch of trained nurses and midwives, with successful applicants already receiving postings to their respective duty stations. He said the exercise forms part of the government’s broader strategy to improve access to quality healthcare services, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach communities where shortages of health professionals remain a challenge.
Mr Akandoh further disclosed that the recruitment of the 2022 batch of trained nurses and midwives will be completed before the end of 2026. He added that the 2023 batch will subsequently be recruited, subject to the Ministry of Finance granting the necessary financial clearance.
The Health Minister also announced that the government intends to recruit a total of 16,000 health professionals this year to bolster Ghana’s health workforce and enhance service delivery across public health institutions. Responding to questions from Members of Parliament, Mr Akandoh reaffirmed the Ministry of Health’s commitment to ensuring the gradual employment of qualified health professionals while maintaining fiscal discipline.
He said the phased approach is intended to balance the government’s financial capacity with the need to strengthen the country’s healthcare system by filling critical staffing gaps in hospitals and other health facilities.The recruitment programme is expected to increase the availability of healthcare personnel, improve patient care and support the government’s efforts to expand access to quality health services throughout the country.