The Ministry of Health has announced that successful applicants in its ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise for health professionals will begin work from July 1, 2026, as government intensifies efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly in underserved communities.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, Director of Human Resource for Health Development at the Ministry of Health, Frederick Mensah Acheampong, disclosed that the Ministry received financial clearance in April this year to recruit about 8,000 health professionals across the country.
He acknowledged the growing anxiety among unemployed health workers, noting that over 105,000 trained professionals remain without employment nationwide.
According to him, the recruitment exercise is being guided by the government’s Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) Policy, which seeks to strengthen preventive, community-based and primary healthcare delivery across the country, especially in deprived districts.
Mr. Acheampong explained that allocations were determined based on staffing gaps and annual human resource needs submitted by agencies including the Ghana Health Service, CHAG, Ahmadiyya Health Services and the Mental Health Authority.
He stated that districts with severe staffing shortages and professional groups considered critical to the success of the FPHC policy received higher allocations.
“In the Greater Accra Region, Ada West, Ada East and Ningo-Prampram were prioritised due to healthcare staffing needs,” he said.
The Ministry also introduced a new recruitment portal aimed at improving transparency and supporting direct district-level recruitment.
The portal uploaded about 53,440 records covering allied health professionals, nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants and pharmacy technicians.
Statistics from the Ministry showed that Registered General Nurses recorded the highest number of applicants nationwide with 4,158 applications, while West Mamprusi District in the Northern part of the country registered the highest number of successful applications, recording over 90.
Mr. Acheampong revealed that out of the 6,500 nursing and midwifery vacancies announced, 6,245 applications were successfully submitted, while 771 out of 900 allied health vacancies were filled.
He added that some vacancies remain available, particularly for Registered Public Health Nurses, Mental Health Nurses and Community Health Registered Assistants (CRAs), mostly in northern districts.
According to him, the Ministry will soon reopen the portal for a mop-up exercise to fill the remaining vacancies and allocate outstanding slots to critical institutions such as teaching and psychiatric hospitals.
Touching on allegations of fraud and illegal fee collection during the recruitment process, Mr. Acheampong said the Ministry had collaborated with security agencies before and during the exercise to clamp down on fraudulent activities.
He cautioned applicants against dealing with middlemen and assured the public that investigations into reported cases were ongoing.
He further announced that the Ministry expects additional financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance before the end of the year to recruit more health professionals.
The Ministry also disclosed plans to recruit Medical Officers for rural and deprived areas and begin stipend-based engagement of over 6,000 volunteer Nurse Assistant Preventives (NAPs) who completed school from 2022 to date to support the Free Primary Healthcare initiative.
Mr. Acheampong reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to expanding employment opportunities for health professionals and improving access to quality healthcare delivery across the country.
