Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has announced that the government will recruit 16,000 health workers by the end of 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s healthcare system and address staffing shortages. He stated that the recruitment drive is already underway, with processes for approximately 8,000 of the planned workforce already completed.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual Health Summit in Accra, Mr. Akandoh emphasised that the government is prioritising the expansion of the health workforce to enhance service delivery and improve deployment to underserved areas. “In 2025 alone, more than 14,000 health workers were added to the government payroll. This year, we plan to recruit an additional 16,000 health workers, with recruitment already completed for about 8,000 positions. We are focusing on enhancing deployment to underserved areas,” he said.
He also explained that this ongoing recruitment is part of a broader effort to close the human resource gaps in the health sector and improve access to healthcare, especially in rural communities. Mr. Akandoh also highlighted improvements in the posting of medical doctors to underserved regions, noting that the government has significantly increased placements compared to previous years.
“In 2024, only 12 medical doctors accepted postings to underserved regions, and these regions are eight in number. In 2026, we have successfully placed 100 doctors in these same regions, and we are not done,” he added.
Source: Juliana Odame Asare
