President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the Ministry of Health will reopen its recruitment portal to absorb 16,000 qualified nurses across Ghana, a move aimed at addressing the long-standing backlog of trained nurses awaiting posting while strengthening healthcare delivery nationwide.
The announcement was made on Thursday during a durbar on the government’s Free Primary Health Care Programme in Ho as part of the President’s working visit to the Volta Region. According to President Mahama, the recruitment exercise will be carried out in two phases, with 8,000 nurses recruited in each batch.
The President explained that the decision is intended to significantly reduce the waiting period experienced by newly qualified nurses after completing their training.
He further assured health professionals that his administration remains committed to improving their conditions of service as Ghana’s economic outlook continues to improve. The government, he said, recognizes the indispensable role nurses and other health workers play in delivering quality healthcare to citizens.
Recruitment to Reduce Backlog of Qualified Nurses
Thousands of qualified nurses across Ghana have remained without postings despite completing their professional training in recent years. The reopening of the recruitment portal is expected to provide employment opportunities for many of these professionals while helping to address staffing shortages in health facilities across the country.
The phased recruitment strategy is also designed to ensure that future graduates spend less time waiting before entering active service.
Government Eyes Better Healthcare Delivery
President Mahama emphasized that investing in the nursing workforce is critical to achieving the government’s vision of expanding access to quality healthcare through the Free Primary Health Care Programme.
He praised nurses for the compassion and professionalism they demonstrate daily, noting that they often care for patients during the most vulnerable moments of their lives. He encouraged health workers to remain dedicated to delivering quality care despite the challenges they may encounter in the profession.
Incentives for Rural Postings Under Consideration
Minister for Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh disclosed that the ministry is developing measures to encourage more health professionals to accept postings to underserved and rural communities.
Among the proposals under consideration is a policy that would allow health workers who accept rural postings to receive faster career progression than colleagues serving in urban centres. The initiative is expected to improve equitable distribution of healthcare personnel across the country.
More Training Opportunities for Nurses
The Health Minister also announced that the ministry has expanded professional development opportunities through new post-basic nursing programmes in specialized fields, including oncology and critical care nursing.
Additionally, 32 scholarships have been awarded to support PhD studies for health professionals pursuing advanced specialization, reinforcing the government’s commitment to building a stronger and more highly skilled healthcare workforce.
The reopening of the nurses recruitment portal represents one of the most significant public sector health recruitment initiatives in recent years. If implemented as announced, the exercise is expected to ease unemployment among qualified nurses, improve staffing levels in health facilities, and support the government’s broader objective of expanding access to quality healthcare services throughout Ghana.
