The Ministry of Finance has granted financial clearance for the recruitment of approximately 8,000 health workers, signalling a major step by the government to tackle Ghana’s growing backlog of unemployed healthcare workers.
The announcement was made by Frederick Mensah-Acheampong, Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Health, during a press conference in Accra.
According to him, the Ministry is fully aware of the anxiety and uncertainty facing thousands of qualified health professionals who have remained unemployed for years despite being ready to serve in the country’s public health system.
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“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,” he stated.
The financial clearance comes at a critical time when more than 105,000 trained and licensed health professionals remain without jobs across the country.
Many of them, including nurses, midwives, pharmacists, allied health workers, and physician assistants, have been waiting for employment opportunities for over six years.
The development is expected to offer relief to thousands of health workers while helping to address staffing shortages in health facilities, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
The Ministry of Health disclosed that recruitment has already begun under the approved clearance.
So far, the following health professionals have been recruited:
- 6,245 out of 6,500 nurses and midwives
- 771 out of 900 allied health professionals
- 235 out of 250 pharmacy professionals
- 300 physician assistants
The figures reflect a coordinated effort to strengthen multiple areas of Ghana’s healthcare delivery system.
Mr. Mensah-Acheampong explained that the recruitment process is aligned with the government’s Primary Healthcare policy, which prioritises:
- Preventive healthcare
- Community-based health services
- Improved access to care in deprived and underserved areas
The strategy aims to enhance healthcare outcomes and reduce pressure on already overstretched facilities nationwide.
Although the recruitment exercise has made significant progress, about 87 nursing vacancies in the Northern districts remain unfilled.
The Ministry of Health has assured that a mop-up exercise will be conducted in the coming weeks to absorb eligible applicants who were unable to complete the recruitment process.
The recruitment of 8,000 health professionals is one of the largest public-sector hiring exercises in recent years and is expected to strengthen service delivery across the country’s health institutions.
It also reflects the government’s effort to address both youth unemployment and persistent human resource gaps in the healthcare sector.