President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Ministry of Health to reopen the nursing recruitment portal to facilitate the employment of 16,000 qualified nurses in a move aimed at addressing the backlog of health professionals awaiting posting.
The recruitment exercise will be conducted in two phases, with 8,000 nurses expected to be recruited in each batch after the portal is reopened for applications.
President Mahama made the announcement during a durbar in Ho as part of his duty tour of the Volta Region, where he engaged stakeholders on the government’s Free Primary Health Care Programme.
He explained that he had granted the necessary clearance to the Ministry of Health to commence the process, adding that the move was intended to provide opportunities for qualified nurses while strengthening healthcare delivery across the country.
The President assured health workers that government would continue to improve their conditions of service as the economy recovers.
He commended nurses and other healthcare professionals for their dedication and described them as one of the country’s most important professional groups, noting their critical role in caring for people during vulnerable moments.
Quoting renowned nurse Florence Nightingale, President Mahama encouraged health workers to continue delivering compassionate care despite the challenges associated with their profession.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, disclosed that the ministry was considering incentives to encourage health professionals to accept postings to underserved areas.
He said one of the proposals under consideration was a faster promotion system for health workers who accept rural postings compared to those serving in urban centres.
The Minister also announced that the ministry had introduced post-basic nursing programmes in specialised areas, including oncology and critical care nursing, to enhance the skills and capacity of health professionals.
