The Ministry of Health has defended its ongoing recruitment drive, stating that current financial clearance permits the employment of about 8,000 health professionals and support staff, despite a backlog of more than 105,000 unemployed workers.
In a statement, the ministry acknowledged the significant public interest and concern surrounding the exercise, particularly among health professionals awaiting placement. It explained that the recruitment is being guided by the government’s Free Primary Healthcare policy, which prioritizes preventive and community-based services, especially in underserved areas.
The ministry noted that the last major recruitment exercises for several professional groups took place years ago—nurses in 2020, pharmacists and allied health professionals in 2019, and physician assistants in 2018. While emphasising that financial constraints make it impossible to absorb all unemployed health workers at once, the ministry insisted it remains committed to creating opportunities across all categories of professionals.
It said regional allocations were based on staffing needs submitted by the Ghana Health Service, the Christian Health Association of Ghana, Ahmadiyya Health Services and the Mental Health Authority. A recruitment committee made up of human resource directors from the various agencies was also consulted to determine staffing gaps and priorities, the statement added.
The ministry said regions with the biggest shortages of health workers received the highest allocations. Under the current exercise, nurses and midwives received the largest share, with 6,500 positions approved. Priority was given to nurse assistant preventive officers, community health nurses and public health nurses to support home visits and community healthcare delivery.
About 900 positions were allocated to allied health professionals, mainly laboratory technicians and health information officers, while 250 slots were approved for pharmacy professionals and technicians. The ministry also said 300 physician assistants recruited in 2024 but still awaiting placement on the government payroll had been prioritised.
Officials said a new recruitment portal had been introduced to improve transparency and support district-level recruitment. The ministry added that feedback from users would be used to improve the system. It acknowledged that more health workers were needed across the country and said discussions with the Ministry of Finance were ongoing to secure additional financial clearance for further recruitment.
The ministry said the recruitment portal would be reopened once approval was granted for more hiring.
Source: Edward Acquah