Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has pledged to ensure fairness in the recruitment and distribution of health professionals across the country, promising that future employment opportunities will be shared equitably among the various professional groups.
Speaking on TV3’s New Day programme, the minister acknowledged longstanding recruitment challenges in the health sector, particularly among allied health professionals and other specialized personnel who have remained unemployed for several years despite completing their training.
He disclosed that several categories of health professionals, including disease control officers, health promotion officers and nutrition officers, have been awaiting employment opportunities dating back to 2019.
According to him, the government intends to adopt a more inclusive approach to recruitment to prevent situations where one professional group benefits from available quotas at the expense of others.
“Going forward, even if it is one, we will share for everybody to get his or her first share,” he stated.
Akandoh explained that, in the past, recruitment quotas had sometimes been allocated predominantly to nurses, leaving other trained professionals without opportunities to enter the public health system.
He said the new approach would ensure that available recruitment slots are distributed more fairly among the various categories of health workers.
The minister also addressed concerns about the availability of transportation for health professionals, revealing that the government was considering a combination of motorbikes and tricycles to support their movement across the country.
He indicated that plans were underway to provide about 7,000 units to help health personnel reach communities and deliver services more effectively.
However, he declined to give a specific figure for the following year, explaining that the government would determine additional numbers after assessing the distribution process and identifying any challenges.
On the implementation of the Free Primary Healthcare initiative, Akandoh said 135 of the 150 targeted districts had been covered, adding that efforts were underway to extend the programme to the remaining districts before the end of the year.
Minister Highlights Key Healthcare Priorities
Asked about the major challenges confronting him in the sector, the minister identified recruitment, access to quality treatment and the financial burden of healthcare as key concerns.
He stressed that the ultimate objective of healthcare delivery must be to ensure that Ghanaians receive proper diagnoses and treatment without being pushed into financial hardship.
According to him, healthcare goes beyond the construction of hospitals and other physical infrastructure, requiring adequate equipment and qualified personnel to function effectively.
“When that parent goes there to attend to her, she must get diagnosed, she must have treatment, and that treatment must not push him or her to financial hardship,” he said.
Akandoh further expressed concern about the condition of medical equipment in several health facilities, noting that the government was pursuing measures to improve the situation.
He explained that the Free Primary Healthcare programme was being used as part of efforts to retool district hospitals, while procurement processes had also commenced to equip regional and teaching hospitals.
The minister disclosed that GH¢1 billion had been allocated under the Mahama administration’s healthcare agenda for the procurement of advanced medical equipment, including CT scanners and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines, for regional and teaching hospitals.
He said the investment was intended to provide health professionals with the tools required to deliver effective and timely medical services.
2021 Nursing Batch to Be Considered After Next Recruitment Phase
Akandoh also offered an update on the recruitment of nurses who completed their training in previous years, assuring affected applicants that the government was working to address the backlog.
He acknowledged that the number of applicants awaiting employment remained significant but indicated that the next batch of 8,000 recruits would begin the process soon, before the end of the year.
The minister expressed hope that the recruitment exercise would progress sufficiently to allow the government to turn its attention to the 2021 batch of nurses after completing the next phase.
“The next 8,000 will begin very soon, before the end of this year. And so I pray that you all take advantage of it,” he said.
He added that he was optimistic that by the time the second batch of 8,000 had been recruited, the government would be in a position to make a declaration concerning the 2021 group.
The minister’s assurances come amid persistent calls for the government to address delays in the recruitment of trained health professionals, improve working conditions and ensure that health facilities across the country are adequately staffed and equipped.
By Gifty Boateng