The government is recruiting 16,000 health professionals to support the implementation of the Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) programme and advance Ghana’s goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has announced.
According to the Minister, 8,000 health professionals have already been recruited and posted to health facilities across the country, while preparations are underway to recruit an additional 8,000 personnel.
Mr Akandoh disclosed this at Fian in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District of the Upper West Region during a durbar on the Free Primary Health Care programme.
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The event also featured the presentation of home-visit kits and motorbikes to support the implementation of the programme.
The Minister expressed satisfaction that health professionals are accepting postings to underserved communities, including areas in the Upper West Region.
“This year, by the grace of God, we have several health professionals who have accepted postings to this part of the country. Last year, by the grace of God, about 20 medical doctors accepted posting to this region; in 2024, we had only two,” he said.
Mr Akandoh attributed the improved acceptance of postings to a government directive requiring newly appointed health professionals who have resumed duty to be processed, mechanised and paid within their first month.
He also disclosed that about 13,500 nurses inherited by the John Mahama-led government have been placed on the government payroll, with their outstanding arrears cleared.
He said the measures were intended to ensure that healthcare services become available, accessible and affordable to all Ghanaians.
The Minister added that the Free Primary Health Care programme would place strong emphasis on disease prevention and early detection, particularly for non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
24,000 pieces of equipment distributed
Mr Akandoh said 24,000 pieces of basic medical equipment had been distributed to primary healthcare facilities across the country to support the implementation of the FPHC programme.
He said an additional 12,000 pieces of equipment are expected to be distributed in the following week.
The Minister further disclosed that 5,000 health kits containing basic equipment for house-to-house visits had already been distributed, with another 5,000 kits expected to arrive in the coming week.
He urged health professionals to provide quality services, stressing that although healthcare under the programme is free to ordinary Ghanaians, the government bears the cost.
“The services are free to the ordinary Ghanaian, but the services are not free to the government. So, government is paying for the services you are rendering,” he said.