A major step forward in Ghana’s quest to strengthen primary healthcare was announced this week, as the Ministry of Health revealed that 6,245 nurses and midwives have been successfully recruited out of 6,500 available slots in its latest nationwide employment drive.
The recruitment forms part of the government’s broader free primary healthcare initiative, which seeks to deploy trained healthcare professionals to underserved communities and close critical staffing gaps.
The exercise, which received financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance, is part of a wider plan to recruit about 8,000 health professionals across the country. This comes as the nation grapples with a backlog of approximately 105,000 unemployed but qualified health workers, many of whom have been waiting for opportunities since as far back as 2018 and 2019.
In addition to the new nurses and midwives, the Ministry also succeeded in recruiting 771 out of 900 available positions for allied health professionals, 235 out of 250 pharmacy professionals, and 300 physician assistants. These efforts are expected to significantly improve access to essential health services, especially in areas where primary care has long been lacking.
At a press conference in Accra, Frederick Mensah-Acheampong, Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Health, noted that while around 87 nursing positions remain unfilled in the Northern districts, competition for the available slots was fierce due to the large number of qualified applicants. He emphasized that the ongoing recruitment is guided by the government’s Primary Healthcare policy, which prioritizes preventive care, community-based services, and the equitable distribution of health workers.
“We have received financial clearance to recruit about 8,000 health professionals from the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry acknowledges the anxiety and interest these recruitment exercises have generated, particularly given the backlog of about 105,000 unemployed health professionals, some of whom have been awaiting recruitment since 2018 and 2019,” Mensah-Acheampong explained.
To ensure no qualified candidate is left behind, Mr. Mensah-Acheampong added that a mop-up exercise is planned in the coming weeks to absorb eligible applicants who were unable to complete the process during the main recruitment phase. The Ministry’s efforts mark a renewed push to deliver quality healthcare to all corners of the country, with a special focus on the most underserved communities.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com