The Ministry of Health has moved to clarify issues surrounding the ongoing recruitment of health professionals, revealing that the country currently has a backlog of more than 105,000 unemployed health workers.
In a statement, the Ministry acknowledged growing anxiety over the recruitment exercise but stressed that government cannot employ all health professionals at once due to financial constraints.
According to the Ministry, the current financial clearance covers the recruitment of about 8,000 health professionals and support staff across various categories.
The Ministry disclosed that the last major recruitment exercises for some professional groups were conducted several years ago, including nurses in 2020, pharmacists and allied health professionals in 2019, and physician assistants in 2018.
It explained that the ongoing recruitment process is being guided by the government’s Free Primary Healthcare Policy, with emphasis on preventive, community-based, and primary healthcare delivery, particularly in underserved communities.
Under the current arrangement, nurses and midwives received the highest allocation, with 6,500 slots prioritising Nurse Assistant Preventive officers, Community Health Nurses, and Public Health Nurses to support home visits and community healthcare delivery.
The Ministry also allocated 900 slots to allied health professionals, particularly laboratory technicians and health information officers, while 250 positions were reserved for pharmacy professionals and technicians.
Additionally, 300 physician assistants recruited in 2024 but yet to be mechanised onto the government payroll were prioritised.
The statement noted that regional allocations were based on staffing gaps and human resource needs submitted by agencies including the Ghana Health Service, Christian Health Association of Ghana, Ahmadiyya Health Services, and the Mental Health Authority.
The Ministry further stated that a new recruitment portal had been introduced to improve transparency and support district-level recruitment.
It assured health professionals that discussions with the Ministry of Finance are ongoing to secure additional financial clearance for more recruitment opportunities.
According to the Ministry, the recruitment portal will be reopened once further approvals are obtained.
