President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government has given the Health Ministry clearance to recruit 16,000 nurses.
According to John Mahama, the 16,000 nurses will be recruited in two batches as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly in underserved communities.
Mahama disclosed that a first batch of 8,000 nurses will be recruited soon, followed by another 8,000.
Speaking at the launch of the Free Primary Healthcare Programme at the Ho Municipal Hospital on Thursday, July 16, President Mahama stated, “We are therefore providing clearance for the recruitment of 16,000 nurses in two batches. The first batch will be 8,000 nurses, followed by another 8,000, so that young people completing their training will not have to wait for long periods before being posted,” he said.
“However, the condition is that many of those being recruited will be sent to underserved areas where healthcare needs are greatest,” he added.
Mahama also urged nurses and other health professionals to emulate the commitment of Florence Nightingale by serving wherever they are needed.
He further assured health workers that his government is committed to improving their conditions of service as the economy recovers.
“I have assured the Minister that as the economy continues to improve, we will continue to work towards improving your conditions of service so that you are encouraged and motivated to continue the important work you do,” he said.
In related news, the Health Ministry has announced that out of 53,000 applicants, only 6,200 nurses and midwives have been recruited.
In a news card shared by GHOne TV, the Ministry of Health stated, “Out of over 53,000 applicants, 6,200 nurses and midwives have successfully been recruited against the 6,500 target”.
At a press conference in Accra, the Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Health, Frederick Mensah-Acheampong, revealed the Ministry of Health has successfully recruited 6,245 nurses and midwives out of 6,500 available slots under a nationwide recruitment.
According to Frederick Mensah-Acheampong, the recruitment process was highly competitive given the large pool of qualified applicants.
He further detailed that the process also recorded the recruitment of 771 out of 900 allied health professionals, 235 out of 250 pharmacy professionals, and 300 physician assistants.
Mr Mensah-Acheampong stated, “We have received financial clearance to recruit about 8,000 health professionals from the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry acknowledges the anxiety and interest these recruitment exercises have generated, particularly given the backlog of about 105,000 unemployed health professionals, some of whom have been awaiting recruitment since 2018 and 2019”.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has announced that nearly 500 nurses have been enrolled under the MahamaCares specialised training programme to deliver advanced medical care.
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Government has given Health Ministry clearance to recruit and employ 16,000 nurses; most to be deployed to underserved areas across the country – President Mahama#JoyNews #JoyFM #GhanaNews #JoyPrime #MyJoyOnline pic.twitter.com/TKOPQJy3k6
— Joy 99.7 FM (@Joy997FM) July 16, 2026
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