With a well being workforce density that has greater than doubled up to now 20 years — rising from 16.56 to 41.92 per 10,000 folks — Ghana continues to make necessary strides towards attaining Common Well being Protection (UHC). However regardless of these strides, severe challenges persist. Many certified professionals stay unemployed attributable to fiscal constraints. Others, together with skilled specialists, are leaving for alternatives overseas. On the identical time, underserved areas proceed to expertise crucial shortages.
These advanced realities underscore the necessity for daring, strategic motion. To assist deal with them, WHO Ghana supported the Ministry of Well being to host a landmark Nationwide Coverage Dialogue on Ghana’s Well being Workforce on 9–10 April 2025, underneath the theme: “Remodeling Ghana’s Well being Workforce for UHC: Align, Make investments, and Maintain.”
The dialogue introduced collectively high-level officers from authorities, quasi-government , key collaborating ministries, regulatory our bodies, well being skilled associations, academia, non-public sector, civil society and improvement companions — all united by a typical purpose: to align investments, establish strategic reforms, and develop a complete, sustainable method to managing Ghana’s well being workforce.
A key milestone of the occasion was the launch of the Well being Labour Market Evaluation (HLMA) Report, a WHO-supported research that highlights gaps in Ghana’s well being workforce provide, demand, and absorption capability. Findings revealed a rising paradox: regardless of rising numbers of educated well being professionals, many stay unemployed attributable to fiscal constraints. On the identical time, Ghana wants extra well being staff to have the ability to deal with the illness burden of the nation. The labour market mismatches have led others to migrate in quest of higher alternatives overseas.
Talking on the dialogue, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Well being, emphasised the significance of the dialogue.
“This dialogue has given us a transparent route. We now have the proof, the political will, and the collective dedication to align training, job creation, and funding to fulfill Ghana’s well being wants”, he stated.
The 4 thematic periods of the dialogue centered on aligning training with labour market calls for, optimizing finances area, managing migration by way of bilateral agreements, and enhancing workforce productiveness by way of improved administration.
“We’re proud to help Ghana in its journey to construct a resilient, well-managed, and equitably distributed well being workforce. This dialogue is barely the start. We are actually working with the Ministry to develop an funding plan that interprets coverage into motion”, stated Dr Frank Lule, Officer in Cost of WHO Ghana.
The UK International, Commonwealth and Growth Workplace, one of many key improvement companions, reaffirmed its dedication to supporting sustainable well being methods in Ghana.
“We commend Ghana’s management in tackling workforce challenges head-on. A robust, motivated well being workforce is important for delivering high quality care, and we’re dedicated to supporting this crucial agenda”, stated Keith McMahon MBE – Deputy Excessive Commissioner – British Excessive Fee in Ghana.
The coverage dialogue concluded, with consensus on strategic coverage choices for workforce planning, retention, and financing. Transferring ahead, WHO is supporting the Ministry of Well being to develop a complete funding plan that ensures alignment of investments to create and maintain jobs throughout private and non-private sectors for Ghana’s well being workforce in the direction of common well being protection
Collectively, Ghana and its companions are remodeling phrases into motion, laying the muse for a more healthy, extra equitable future.
For Further Data or to Request Interviews, Please contact:
Abdul-Lahie Abdul-Rahim Naa
Communications Officer
WHO Ghana Nation Workplace
Electronic mail: abdullahiea [at] who.int (abdullahiea[at]who[dot]int)
Tel: +233 20 196 2393