Source Ghanamediatrend
Health News Ghana
13,500 Nurses and Midwives Added to Payroll—Kwabena Mintah Akandoh
The Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has announced the successful recruitment and placement of 13,500 nurses and midwives onto the government payroll in 2024.
The confirmation follows the 19th Biennial Conference of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) in Tamale, where the Minister assured stakeholders that salary delays experienced by some recruits would be resolved by the end of the month.
The addition of 13,500 nurses and midwives represents one of the largest single-year recruitments in recent memory.
According to Health Minister Akandoh, this move is part of a broader strategy to stabilize Ghana’s health workforce, especially under initiatives such as the Free Primary Healthcare policy and the Mahama Cares programme
By expanding the payroll, the government aims to:
- Strengthen frontline healthcare delivery in both urban and rural areas.
- Reduce unemployment among trained nurses and midwives who have long awaited postings.
- Improve patient-to-nurse ratios, ensuring more personalized and effective care.
Akandoh did not shy away from highlighting the difficulties faced in the past. He revealed that the previous administration issued recruitment clearances for over 13,000 nurses and midwives without allocating funds for their salaries, leaving many recruits unpaid for months. This oversight created frustration among healthcare workers and strained the system.
By confirming that these nurses and midwives are now fully integrated into the payroll, Akandoh sought to reassure the profession that the government is committed to rectifying past mistakes and prioritizing healthcare workers’ welfare.
The announcement has been met with widespread applause from healthcare associations, unions, and civil society groups. The GRNMA leadership praised the move as a step toward restoring confidence in the system, while also urging the government to ensure timely salary payments and continuous professional development opportunities.
Parents and families of the newly recruited nurses expressed relief, noting that their children’s years of training and waiting have finally paid off. For many, this recruitment is not just about jobs—it is about dignity, recognition, and the chance to serve the nation.
While the recruitment of 13,500 nurses and midwives is a remarkable achievement, experts caution that Ghana’s healthcare system still faces challenges. Infrastructure gaps, shortages of medical equipment, and uneven distribution of staff across regions remain pressing issues.
Akandoh acknowledged these concerns, pledging that the Ministry of Health will continue to invest in training, infrastructure, and equitable deployment.
The Minister emphasized that nurses and midwives are “the backbone of healthcare delivery”, and their inclusion on the payroll is a critical step toward achieving universal health coverage.
The confirmation by Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh that 13,500 nurses and midwives have been added to the government payroll in 2024 is more than a statistic—it is a story of resilience, reform, and renewal. It signals hope for healthcare workers who have endured uncertainty, and it strengthens Ghana’s resolve to build a robust healthcare system capable of meeting the needs of its people.
As the applause from Tamale echoes across the nation, one thing is clear: Ghana’s nurses and midwives are finally being given the recognition and support they deserve, and the country’s healthcare future looks brighter than ever.
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